We cannot begin to think of mothers without speaking of our first mother, Eve. Eve was given the task of beautifying Eden. Her duty was to make Eden a place where God would dwell forever. Eden was meant as a preparatory home for the reign of God over all creation. It was to be a test case for future glory.
The first task of a mother is to consider her actions in light of future glory. She prepares the home as a garden-glory in progress. Her labors and offspring are gifts of gratitude to Yahweh for creating the world and beautifying it with his Triune presence.
But motherhood was confronted in Genesis 3. The first woman suffered from poor eschatology. She did not prepare her home well for future glory. The first lesson mothers need to understand is that the future matters. This is why mothers are called to live in such a way that influences their place and their children and their children’s children.
On this Mother’s Day, we begin to restore Eden’s eschatology by blessing mothers! Children must speak benedictions to their mothers. Husbands must praise their wives and thus restore their vision and vigor for the eschatology of glory.
For this reason, a good mother is an Edenic queen; she beautifies the home and makes the king look respectable and honorable in his kingdom, and at the gates of the city. A good queen makes the name of Yahweh known in her garden. A good queen awakens to hear her children call her blessed!
As mothers get older and gain more and more biblical wisdom, they become wise matriarchs in communities. People begin to say: “Go to her. Seek her counsel.” But this does not come easily. Mothers need to be good theologians. They need the rhythm of resurrection to grow in wisdom. They need to be constantly reminded that God’s grace is strengthening and building them up in their darkest moments, even when they are overwhelmed by their duties. Mothers as New Eves need to embrace the resurrection as a model for life. They need to so cherish the empty tomb that they realize that their perspective of the future is shaped is shaped by it.
Christian mothers in one way set the rhythm for the rest of the world. C.S. Lewis put it this way:
“To be a mother is a woman’s greatest vocation in life. She is a partner with God. No being has a position of such power and influence. She holds in her hands the destiny of nations, for to her comes the responsibility and opportunity of molding the nation’s citizens.”
Mothers: do not ever allow someone to say that your role is not valued. You are co-heirs of grace. Your children are arrows that pierce the kingdoms of darkness and restore Eden to her pristine environment.
For every diaper you change, for every alphabet letter you teach, for every kiss, for every song, for every meal you make, for every joy you instill in your children and others in your community, therein is the testimony of God’s grace in the world and paradise is restored.
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