April 21, 2009
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Good morning!
I’m still spending some of my devotional time in studying about the married woman’s role as described in the scriptures. This morning I was studying 1 Timothy 5:9-10 in John MacArthur’s commentary. I thought this excerpt was especially good and wanted to share it with you all.
I hope you are all well. I have much to share but extra time has been scarce lately. I hope to share about some changes in my home soon.
“The qualities Paul gives illustrate God’s design for women. They are a woman’s highest priorities. By following them, she can make a profound impact on the world. That truth is illustrated in a story told by the Scottish preacher Ian MacClaren of a woman in his church.
As they were talking, she began to wipe her eyes with the corner of her apron, so Dr. MacClaren said, “What’s disturbing you?”
“Oh,” she said, “Sometimes I feel I have done so little and when I think about it it makes my heart heavy, because really I’ve done so little for Jesus.”
“When I was a wee girl the Lord spoke to my heart and I surrendered to Him. And I wanted to live for Him, oh so much. But I feel I haven’t done anything.”
“What have you done with your life?” he asked.
“Oh nothing,” she said, “just nothing. I’ve washed dishes, cooked three meals a day, taken care of my children, mopped the floor, mended the clothes, you know, everything a mother does, that’s all I’ve done.”
MacClaren sat back in his chair and asked, “Where are your boys?”
“Oh, she spoke, “You know I named them all for the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. You know them all and you know where Mark is. You ordained him. He went to China. He’s learned the language and now he is able to minister to the people in the name of the Lord.”
“Where’s Luke?” MacClaren said.
“You know well enough where he is because you sent him out and I had a letter from him the other day. He is in Africa and says a revival has broken out at his mission station.”
“And Matthew?” he queried.
“He’s with his brother in China and they are working together. And John, who’s nineteen, came to me last night to say God has laid Africa on his heart. He said, ‘I’m going to Africa, but don’t worry about it, Mother, because the Lord has shown me that I am to stay with you until you go home to glory, and then I’ll go. Until then I have to take care of you.”
MacClaren looked at that elderly saint and said, “Your life has been wasted, you say?”
“Yes, it has been wasted.”
“You have been cooking and mopping and washing — but I would like to see the reward when you are called home!”
(from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Copyright © Moody Press and John MacArthur, Jr., 1983-2007.)
Comments (3)
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
Oh, that’s beautiful! Don’t we as mothers often feel as that woman did; that our works are just so much trivialities; of no value. Thanks for sharing this!
Oh, you gave me goosebumps. What a wonderful story! Thanks for sharing it. I’m getting ready for a Mother’s Day service with four other ladies from church. Each of is studying a mother in the Bible in preparation and mine is Mary, the mother of Jesus. What I’m learning in my study is to quietly ponder the Scriptures in my heart, which is obviously what Mary had been doing even prior to her call to be the mother of the Savior. Her “Song” (to Elizabeth) was only 8 sentences but she quoted from around 11 different Scriptures, so you know she was a regular at the synagogue and really wanted to follow the Lord. I believe that was the secret to her ready submission to do God’s will. I’ve been challenged. Just thought i’d share that with you.