Instructions for Moms - Part 4

Ever feel frazzled from the pressure that comes with being a mom? You weren't meant to do this on your own. The Bible gives us instructions on how to parent. It tells us to be humble and realize we can't do this on our own, but we can through Christ because He is sufficient, so we need to seek Him with all of our heart. One of the best ways to seek Him is to read the Bible. And that's what this week is about.

-Part 4-
-Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly-

Colossians 3:16- Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

It says ‘let the word dwell in you’. You have to let it. It’s not going to happen on its own. It wants to, but you have to let it. And it says ‘dwell in you’. Dwell means: reside, stay, have your home, inhabit, settle. Sounds long-term to me. Like, daily! And it says ‘dwell in you richly’ which means: luxuriously, abundantly, fully, totally, deeply….like a place of honor, a priority, remember you are doing this with all of your heart!

David understood this when he wrote Psalm 1. It says,

¹ Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

He is meditating on the Bible day and night. He is letting the word dwell in him richly and the result is that he is like a tree planted by the water. He has all he needs and he does his job well. His endeavors are fruitful and he’s not tired, he’s not withering. Whatever he does he prospers at it. Doesn’t that sound like what every mother needs? Are you dwelling in the Word?

We are called to teach and correct and train our kids. Are you prospering in that area? In 2 Timothy 3:16 it says - All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. That’s exactly what we are doing as mothers and what we need help in. So if we don’t know scripture and we aren’t getting our help from scripture, where are we getting it from?

Situations will arise that we would not choose for ourselves (disobedient kids, loneliness, no $, loss of job, miscarriages, etc.). I am more and more convinced that what frustrates me the most with my kids is what I need to surrender in my own life. God in His perfect love for us knows our hearts and the foolishness that dwells in them and knows we need trials to sanctify us into the image of Christ. To chip away at the parts of us that don’t match Christ’s image. If you are in His word, your heart will be able to rest in Him during the trials. You can be content in any circumstance.

Which is my next point for next week… -then be content-