Today was just another day of motherhood. Or was it?
Sometimes moms wonder if Jesus had in mind the parent-teacher conferences and diaper changing stall in the public restroom when he issued his Great Commission command: “Go therefore.”
Although the responsibilities that God has given mothers look different than before there were kids in the picture, our role in his kingdom is unchanged:
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20).
We who are in Christ are ambassadors for him, a role that we play regardless of our season in life or culture. Our motherhood, therefore, is part of God’s mission, and it is a strategic ministry designed by God to call people to worship the One who is seated on the throne in heaven. Jesus is worthy to receive worship from everyone—from the nursery to the farthest corners of the earth.
Moms who want to live on mission for Jesus will be encouraged when they ask themselves this question: Where is God sending me? I don’t mean after potty training is over or the kids are out of the house— none of us knows for certain what the Lord has willed for us.
Where is the sovereign God sending you right now? Where does he tend to send you every day? Or every few hours? Perhaps you do “go therefore” to the nursery and back. Or to the school and back. Or to the workplace and back. Be his ambassador there. You might go into town to run errands. Go as one sent by God.
If your plan for being on mission for Jesus has changed, remember that God’s plan to glorify himself in and through you has not changed. You were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that you would walk in them (Eph. 2:10). Where will you walk, drive, fly, or sit today?
Once we see the answer unfolding to that question— “Where is God sending me?”— we need to walk by faith and act like the ambassadors that we are. That means we announce the gospel. We may be excited about our traditions and lifestyle preferences, but our culture and personal taste will not reconcile anyone to God.
Ambassadors for Christ don’t preach their lifestyle preferences, they preach resurrection life in Jesus Christ. Learn how to articulate the gospel clearly, and pray God would give you boldness in every opportunity he gives you to talk about it.
When we see the open doors for the gospel everywhere we go, we make the decision by faith in Jesus to not be afraid. The world would have us paralyzed with fear for our lives, our kids, our grandkids, our food, our homes, our schools, our country, and even our churches.
But we worship Jesus, the one who was crucified for our sin and was raised for our justification. He has ascended to the throne room of heaven where he is seated at the Father’s right hand, and he has the keys to death and Hades. Decide you will believe Jesus and not be afraid of that which is frightening.
Jesus sends moms on mission. Our motherhood will have its different seasons, but our role as ambassador is always the same. God is making his appeal through us. From playdates for our kids to the baby showers for our grandkids, we implore our family, friends, and neighbors on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Motherhood is part of God’s mission and it is a strategic ministry designed by God. @gloriafurman
In Missional Motherhood, Gloria Furman traces motherhood in the story of the Bible and drawing out key implications for moms today. This book helps women live out God’s story of redemption in their daily lives as they nurture their children and joyfully share the message of the gospel with those around them.
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