Paul writes about a youngster who has been developed over the years to being raised then as a strong and sincere Christian leader. This young man had once been taken on journeys to minister for Christ. Paul saw that Timothy was perhaps too weak in faith to meet the challenges back then.

Here in 2 Timothy, we read that Paul encourages Timothy to go upward and onward for the Lord. He now calls Timothy “my dearly beloved son” (verse two) and “that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day” (verse three). Things had by now grown to be much better in usefulness.

Paul wrote about faith to Timothy’s mother and grandmother in verse five: “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice: and I am persuaded that in thee also.” Timothy is now such an encouragement to folks! His mother Eunice is very happy to see the development of her child toward the service to Christ.

It always is a goal that Christian men, mothers and grandmothers pray for and work toward. Often the mothers to be are going to soon have children on their way into this world. Any parent or grandparent is well aware of the concerns of this world and how we do not want our little ones conformed to it. We will each have to live in the world to exist, but not according to it, as Satan desires it would be.

Many folks who had raised their families have been required to step back in and become a mother for grandchildren who have no one capable of supervising or providing for these children. The Christian world owes these often Christ-honoring women a great deal of gratitude. They have stepped back from the days of raising their children to adulthood, now to beginning again by raising their grandchildren.

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:13-14: “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” Many of our Christ-honoring parents were dedicated to their heart of teaching youngsters about Christ. In this world today, each family must choose to receive instruction to the glory of God. Paul goes on to say, in chapter three of 2 Timothy, that: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (verse 16), and that is what Christian mothers, Sunday school teachers and God-honoring mothers seek to have brought into younger lives.

Verse 16 goes on to explain that this is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” The four areas indicate that the correct doctrine will change us when we are wrong, to challenge us when we have gone against God, to correct our thinking through subtraction and then to add daily the right things! Young people really need a constant instruction in lives so that they will not crash over the cliffs of drugs, sex, alcohol, thievery or any other mistakes to choose. The Godly calling is often knocking at the doors of older women, who will not allow teenagers to be gobbled up by our evil, lustful world.

A wonderful song may be greatly needed, especially by the women who are working so carefully to bring up young folks so they can choose to follow Christ! This encouraging song was written by Isaac Watts prior to 1719 so that it could be put into his booklet entitled: “Psalms of David Imitated.” It is based upon Psalm 90, a prayer of Moses, the man of God. The name of the song today is “O God Our Help in Ages Past:”

“Oh God, our Help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal Home!

“Under the shadow of Thy throne
Still may we dwell secure —
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.”

Homes desperately need the rock-solid defense for each in the home and family. A young mother, and especially some who are fighting the tearing apart of young lives with lust and common sinfulness. We need to get into the church seat and just listen for God to speak to our hearts about decisions, limitations and careful demands. Choices become so confusing, so especially child “rearers” need to listen for God’s direction, so that they have good convictions.

Verse three states:

“Before the hills in our order stood,
Or earth received her frame;
From everlasting Thou art God
To endless years the same.”

Our Mother’s Day women need to rejoice how Bible verses and wonderful songs get into our hearts to add our convictions about where we stand and the direction as a Christian we will go — no matter what! Our choices mean so much as we follow the Lord above, and not Satan below.

The fourth verse of “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” relates:

“A thousand ages in thy sight —
Are like an evening gone
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.”

Life does race by us so quickly! After decades, we count our age of life number and just exclaim that: “It cannot be!” All that we can do is to give our hearts to Jesus Christ if you have not yet done so — and then race around to the finish line with all you can bring up to find for finishing well!

Verse five writes about our sons:

“Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away,
They fly, forgotten as a dream —
With only memories at the later day.”

The “Mother’s Day” prayers ask that they can do all for their children in the short time of human life. We need all God’s directions for mothers we can find. Ephesians 6:1-3 begins with: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise); that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”

Young people, husbands and whosoever could, honor mothers this week! Every godly parent will deeply respect what God has done for their children over the years. What we think will be possible to show in our “thank you!” year after year may soon be terminated.

Just like Timothy’s mother Eunice deserved such a spiritual thank-you in the Bible then, we are right to thank the ones still here now, or have gone up to Heaven to hear about your thanks there. Mothers — we thank you!

Our final verse that mothers can declare for their own families every day is:

“Oh God, our Help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou my Guide while life shall last,
And forever with Him — our eternal Home.”

Happy Mother’s Day!