You would think that of all the people depicted in the Bible, the moms would be the ones who could best understand our frustrations as mothers. That’s probably why there are so many books titled something like, “Moms of the Bible.” We’re supposed to read about moms and learn from them. Be inspired by them, even.
All of that is well and good. But lately, I’ve come to think that the biblical personage who could best understand a mom’s frustration is Moses.
Moses was a father, but not a mother. He wasn’t even a woman. How could he be the one who best understands moms?
Consider his words to God for yourself, and see whether you agree that he understands:
“Why have You hurt Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your eyes, that You lay the burden of all this people on me? Have I conceived all this people? Have I given them birth, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse bears the nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep to me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. If You do this to me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your eyes, and do not let me see my misery” (Num. 11:11-15).
I kid you not! That’s what Moses said. (You can look up the full passage in Numbers 11.)
Yet we also know that Moses is the only human being ever to have seen God’s face (see Ex. 33:11 below).
That means there is hope for you and me, moms. We don’t have to be some kind of superspiritual Christian in order to have a close relationship with God. Intimacy with Him is possible for anyone who desires it—even for us!
I’m not saying that our emotions are always righteous (far from it!). What I’m saying is that if we do what Moses did, we can still have precious intimacy with God, even though we’re not perfect.
What did Moses do? He talked to God about what he thought and how he felt. He didn’t just stuff his feelings down, or try to deal with them in his own strength. He admitted he needed God, and he begged God for help.
But Moses didn’t just come to God when he needed something. He came to God often. He loved God with his whole heart. He maintained that relationship all the time, not just when he wanted to ask God to do the genie thing and pop out of a bottle and rescue him.
Moms, did you realize you can bring your thoughts, emotions and frustrations to God? Moses did, and God didn’t zap him to death. Instead, He helped him. God’s not going to zap you either when you come before Him honestly and pour out your heart. He will help you—not condemn you.
So take a cue from Moses. Seek a relationship with Him always, even when things are going well. And when something comes up, admit what you think and how you feel and pour your heart out to God.
Doing so won’t prevent you from experiencing intimacy with Him. In fact, it’s necessary in order for intimacy to happen. You have to share your heart.
Exodus 33:11 says, “The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When he returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tent.” {eoa}
Adapted from Megan Breedlove’s blog, Manna for Moms. Megan is the author of Well Done, Good and Faithful Mommy and Manna for Moms: God’s Provision for Your Hair-Raising, Miracle-Filled Mothering Adventure (Regal Books.) She is also a stay-at-home mom with five children.
