Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
What a blessing that my home is filled with joy! And noise! But sometimes when the baby has been up all night, or we are in a rough patch of homeschooling, or Daddy has a lot of work to do, it is difficult to make a joyful noise to the Lord. At those times, as a mother, it’s even more important for me to purposely praise the Lord within my own heart before God, and also with my children and husband.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
What a mighty God we serve! And what a blessing to offer up my service to Him within my home: sweeping up Cheerios, solving algebra problems, resolving toddler conflicts, wiping little noses and bottoms, and pointing teenage hearts to Him! How awesome that, like the Proverbs 31 woman, God can enable me to open my mouth with wisdom and the law of kindness. How necessary it is for us mothers to set the tone of gladness in our home. Even when it’s not easy or I would like to join all of the grumpy spirits around me. It is even more important for me to sing to the Lord along with my children as they play their instruments, or while I rock little babies to sleep, or as I fold laundry.
Know ye that the LORD he is God:
When my heart is frequently overwhelmed with all of the tasks before me, I can remember that He is God. That it’s not all up to me. That he can take the little that I have to offer, like the oil that the woman poured out to Him, and make it much.
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
God made me, and knows me and loves me! When I find myself in the isolated and lonely place of mothering and homeschooling a large family, I can run to Him and rest in Him. He understands me and sees just where I am at and has a place of refuge for me! His yoke is easy and His burden is light to the weary souls that come to Him to find rest.
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Like a little sheep, I need guidance. And because of the power of the gospel, I can follow my loving Shepherd. He gently leads those that are with young. I can live the victorious, abundant life that He has promised in His Word, if I keep my eyes on Him.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
How important it is for me to praise my Lord in my private time with Him, and also publicly with my husband and children every day! A thankful spirit is the antidote for many of the sins of the heart that creep into my life and the lives of my children. Working together to express our thankfulness to God keeps away discontentment, covetousness, laziness, and discouragement. Thanking Him and lifting up His Name keeps our hearts tuned to Him and quells selfishness and unkindness. Talking about Him with the children, keeping Scripture posted around the house, memorizing and meditating on Bible verses together can change the spirit within our homes.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting;
God is so good! I can make it my life’s pursuit to know Him better, and I will still never uncover all of His Goodness! What a restful thought that His mercy never ends. When an illness rolls through our family and leaves me questioning what it was like to all be well at the same time, or whether we will ever recover, there is mercy for that moment. God’s mercy is new when I am exhausted or unsure of what the future holds. In every trying moment, I can cry out to God for mercy, and it will always be there! Amazing!
and his truth endureth to all generations.
I can trust God for the salvation of my children. As a mother, I can continually bring them before the Lord in prayer and rest in the knowledge that He loves them more than I do. He is not willing that any of them should perish, but that each one of my dear ones would come to repentance. So while I need to pray for them, and be constantly bringing them to my Savior in word and example, it is He that does the saving. His Holy Spirit does the working in the hearts of this generation, just as He did in my heart, and my generation, and every generation before that.
And while I labor for Him in my home, often doing the small, repetitive tasks of daily homemaking and mothering, I can be assured that it is God that works in me, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. In whatever difficulty I find myself, I can be confident that God will work it out for good to them that love Him. He has thoughts of peace for me, and whatever He is doing in my life, no matter how painful or difficult it might seem at the moment, it is according to His good pleasure. He doesn’t leave us in ashes, but works beauty through all of our trials!
Abigail strives to be a joyful wife to Scott and mother to their five blessings – Lily, Joseph, Grace, Emma, and Samuel. She enjoys homemaking, organizing, homeschooling, and bargain shopping.