PROCLAIMING MOTHERS

“The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it”
(Psalm 68:11).

This is the seventh and last point in our series of PURPOSEFUL mothers.

7. PROCLAIMING MOTHERS

Psalm 68:11 (NASB) says: “The Lord gives the command; The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host.” The Young’s Literal translation calls the women “female proclaimers.”

Let’s look at it a little more closely. The word “company” is the Hebrew word tsaba and means “a mass of persons, especially organized for war, an army, battle, soldiers.” Therefore, those who proclaim the word of the Lord are a great army.

The next question we must ask is who is this great army? The participle “those who announce the good tidings” (hammebasseroth) is feminine plural in the Hebrew. Therefore, female proclaimers or heraldresses is correct according to the original.

But now we are in a state of tension. Does this Scripture release women from the home to be pastors and evangelists? What about Scriptures on the other end of the scale that exhort women to be “keepers at home” and embrace their mothering role?

We often come across the “tension of truth” in the Bible. We notice paradoxes—two apparently contradictory things, and yet because God’s Word is divinely inspired, both are true.

Tozer writes: “Truths that are compelled to stand alone never stand straight and are not likely to stand long. Truth is one, but truths are many. Scriptural truths are interlocking and interdependent. A truth is rarely valid in isolation.”

Another commentator writes: “No matter how much two teachings of Scripture may appear to be contradictory, they are not. They may be paradoxical, but they can never be contradictory . . . Denial of one set of biblical truth in order to affirm another is never an option for the faithful student of Scriptures.”

Therefore, as we pursue the fullness of God’s truth it all becomes clear. The Bible clearly states that God ordains women to embrace motherhood, home, and family. He created them for this purpose. Without mothers, the world stops. Without godly mothers building strong families the nation weakens. Mothers in the home are the foundation of a strong and great society.

But women do not have to be silent. It is a known fact that women talk more than men. We are the teachers of our children from the day they are born and onwards. We talk to them from morning ‘til night. When we go out to the supermarket and to the many activities we become part of as our children grow, we can take every opportunity to proclaim the good news—the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a word of cheer to someone who is cast down, or encouragement to a fellow mother. We pray for those who are sick and need uplifting.

You don’t stop proclaiming because you are a mother. You open your mouth and proclaim God’s truths wherever you are, in the home or out and about. You drop the seeds of God’s truth all day long. The opportunities are constant and endless.

The word basar from hammebasseroth means “to be fresh, rosy, full of cheer, to announce, to bring good news, to tell glad tidings, publish, to be a messenger.”

What does it mean to be a female messenger? To be fresh with the presence of the Lord. To be healthy and happy, both spiritual and physically. To be full of joy as we mother our children. The anointing of joy upon our lives as we go out into society with our children is our greatest testimony to the world. The enemy has no argument against a joyful and cheerful mother.

We should always be ready with a new testimony of God’s goodness, His provision, and leading in our lives. We don’t proclaim sad news. We announce good news! The goodness of God. The salvation of our God.

Isaiah 52:7 and Nahum 1:15 talk about “the feet of him that brings good tidings." You drop God’s words of truth wherever your feet take you—in your kitchen and trotting off to get groceries.

Psalm 96:2: “Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; show forth (basar) his salvation from day to day.” Every day you show forth the salvation of God to your children. It’s a daily thing.

You are both mother and proclaimer! They fit together like a glove. You don’t have to leave your highest calling of motherhood to be God’s messenger. You are His messenger in the midst of your mothering. IT’S ALL PART OF YOUR MOTHERING CAREER.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:

“Thank you, dear Father, that You make Your purposes clear in Your living Word. Thank You for giving me a realm where I can nurture and train my children and daily be a messenger of Your truth and revelation to my children and all the people I meet. Help me to be a faithful and anointed messenger. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am a Mothering Messenger from the Lord.