A Mother--a Living Sacrifice

I'm just finishing up the Beth Moore study called Living Beyond Yourself (you can check out the DVDs that accompany it from Southern's library!). When I was watching the final session on Wednesday, the Lord once again used the Scripture on which she was teaching to show me something new about motherhood. Beth was talking about how while the overall teaching of the Bible is that God is concerned with our hearts, that does not mean that He is not also concerned with our physical bodies and how we use them. Among the many passages she could have pointed to in order to demonstrate this point, she chose these:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

1 Thessalonians 5:23b
"May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 12:1
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship."

My mind was immediately drawn to motherhood. Mothering is a physical job. Mothers (very literally) give their bodies to their children. For 9 months, our bodies are no longer "home" just to us but also to another person (or people!). And, let's be honest, no matter how much you work out, your body is never really the same. Once the children are born, our bodies are designed to be their main source of life and sustenace. In the early months, our bodies are used for this purpose at least 8 hours a day. 45-60 minutes, 8 times a day....nursing is a full-time job! Not to mention that our hands, arms, legs, voices, ears, eyes, and even our sleep are devoted to caring for them the other 16 hours of the day. And that just describes the first few months of their lives, let alone the next 17 years!

It's easy to see how mothers can easily become resentful--even towards their precious and helpless children. But the Christian mother need not fall into this destructive sin. For she is not ultimately laying down her body on the altar of her children. Rather, her Lord and Master has chosen her for this task. Her body is not her own, she has been bought at a price and belongs to Another. And He has called her to present her body as a living sacrifice--which is her spiritual act of worship.

Therefore, mothers, as you give your body for the good of your children, you are presenting it as a living sacrifice to the One who gave His body for you. As your body feels the effects of serving your children, remember that your physical labors are actually a spiritual act of worship, holy and pleasing to God.