THE FULLNESS OF MOTHERHOOD

“Women will be preserved through the bearing of children
if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint”
1 Timothy 2:15 (NASB).

Because motherhood is God’s plan, we receive His blessings when we embrace it with all our hearts. Motherhood is not a new idea. All God’s plans and intentions were in His heart before the world began. They are perfect and wondrous (Psalm 12:6 and Proverbs 30:5). However, the enemy, who hates God’s ways, seeks to subvert them in every way possible. He robs women of the glorious fullness God intends for them.

Let’s read 1 Timothy 2:14, 15: “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.”

Let’s look at this Scripture a little more closely. What does it mean to be saved in childbearing?

The Greek word for “saved” is sozo. It is a verb and you pronounce it sode’-zo.
It is a powerful, multi-encompassing word meaning “to save, deliver, protect, heal, cure, preserve, keep safe, and make whole.”

I want you to get a hold of the fullness of sozo. Through embracing motherhood you are saved, delivered, protected, preserved, healed, and made whole--physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. You can’t beat that!

In the context of this Scripture it says you will be saved from deception. When women reject mothering for a full-time career outside the home they are often lured into deception, into a world that God did not create for women, but for men. God created mothers for a life of power, anointing, and blessing in the home as they raise children who will impact nations. When we move out from God’s divine purpose, we move out from under the covering of God's protection and become vulnerable to deception.

Other commentaries of sozo enlarge on the meaning:
“To deliver out of danger or destruction and into safety.” This applies to the context of 1 Timothy 2:13-15 where it tells us we will be saved from deception when we embrace mothering.
“To keep safe and sound.”
“To save a suffering one from perishing (one suffering from disease).”
“To restore to health.”
“To cause something to change to an earlier, correct, or appropriate state.” Millions of women, even those who name the name of Christ, have been robbed of God’s original plan for them. He wants to draw them back into His ultimate intention for them so they can live in the fullness of sozo.
“To lift above trouble.”

WHOLENESS FOR MOTHERS

Isn’t it wonderful to know that we are preserved and healed physically. Many modern studies reveal the truth of this Scripture that women are preserved physically from diseases as they embrace childbearing. Go to http://tinyurl.com/PreservedThroughMotherhood to read studies that disclose that the more children a woman births and the longer she breastfeeds the less likelihood of female cancers.

Jesus used this same word sozo when healing the sick and making them WHOLE:

Healing the woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years:
Matthew 19:20-22: “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made (sozo) thee whole (sozo).” Read also Mark 5:28-34 and Luke 8:43-48.

Raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead:
Luke 8:40-42, 49-56 (v.50): “Fear not: believe only and she shall be made whole (sozo).”

Healing all that touched Him:
Mark 6:56: “And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole (sozo)."

Healing blind Bartimaeus:
Mark 10:46-52: “Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made (sozo) thee whole (sozo).” Read also Luke 18:35-42.

Healing the Gadarene demoniac:
Luke 8:26-39 (v. 36): “They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed (sozo).”

Healing the ten lepers:
Luke 17:11-19 (v. 19): “And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made (sozo) the whole (sozo).”

Because God created our bodies for the purpose of childbearing, He is faithful to protect, preserve, and heal us in childbearing and mothering. It does not mean we are saved from pain in childbirth (although there are some women who do not have pain), but He watches over us and preserves us as we trust in Him.

God gives a message of wholeness for motherhood, just as He gives a message of wholeness for our salvation. We need to confess, affirm, and hold fast to this truth. I was very blessed by one commentator who stated that after he understood the full meaning of sozo, he decided to speak out the full meaning every time he read “saved.” For example, Romans 10:13 says: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (sozo).” Therefore he reads: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, delivered, protected, healed, preserved, kept safe, and made whole.” It changed his life. I plan to follow this same habit.

YOU WERE ORDAINED FOR “ALL THAT IS MOTHERHOOD”

The word “childbearing” in 1 Timothy 2:15 is translated teknogonia.
It simply means “to be a child-bearer, implying the performance of maternal duties.” One source states that it means “all that is motherhood,” and another source says “a proper married life.” Therefore, the word includes far more than the process of birth. It encompasses all that is involved in motherhood.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:
I thank You, Father, for showing me the fullness and blessings of embracing motherhood. I thank you for saving me from deception and for your divine protection and preservation over me physically, emotionally, and spiritually, as I embrace Your divine plan. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:
I am joyfully walking in God’s incredible plan for my life.