Where Are My Helpers? - No. 64
Jeremiah 10:20, “My tent is plundered, and all my cords are broken; my children have gone from me, and they are no more. There is no one to pitch my tent any more, or set up my curtains.”
Although this Scripture is talking about the coming desolation of Judah because they had turned away from the Lord, it also reveals another interesting point. Because all his children have been taken from him, the father laments that he no longer has any helpers. He has no one to help him pitch his tent and set up his curtains!
Children are wonderful helpers. Now that all our children are married and raising their own families, I have to do all my cleaning, cooking and wash all our dishes myself! My helpers have all gone! Some nights Colin and I will call for Carmelita. Nearly 40 years ago when Colin and I were serving the Lord in the Philippines we had a maid called Carmelita. When we returned from the Philippines to New Zealand, we would often call for Carmelita but of course she didn’t come! I would be still looking at the all the dishes and the kitchen waiting to be cleaned up.
It would be every mother’s dream to have a live-in maid, but as our children grow, that’s what we can have. A mother of eight children shared a little incident that happened at a recent Family retreat. As she was walking with her son they noticed a mom and dad with four small children, one in a backpack. Her son said, “Mom, they remind me of us when we were all little.” Then her husband replied, “Back then it seemed as though we had so may children and we were overwhelmed, but now we have eight children it doesn’t seem as though we have many.” What had happened? Those little boys have now grown into strapping big sons who can milk their goats and help maintain their home. Their older daughters have also grown to become helpful nannies who can help with the little ones and the housework. Life is so much easier.
When down in Australia at another Family Retreat, a mother of seven shared, “I have trained my children so well that now my daughters can run the home as well as I can (the two oldest were in their early teens). I have been eased out of my job. I have time to pursue my projects and enjoy life. Sometimes I feel guilty that I have such a wonderful life!”
These are two of similar testimonies that I frequently hear from mothers with larger families. So be encouraged dear young mothers. The hardest time of motherhood is when you have your first two, three or even four children, especially if they are close together. They are all little together and you have no helpers. But these little ones will grow and as you train them your life becomes easier, even as you have more children.
God intends us to work together as families. God wanted the order, the beauty, the fruitfulness and the lovely atmosphere of the Garden of Eden to spread across the world. The job was too big for one couple and therefore God commanded them to “be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth” so that with more and more helpers they could “subdue it and take dominion” over it.
As your children grow, you will have many helpers to keep the home running smoothly and to accomplish great things. On the days when your little ones are under your feet and you feel as though you can’t accomplish anything in life except changing diapers and washing dishes, remember that your children won’t stay little. In a few years you will have helpers. In fact, these years go too quickly. Make the most of these precious days when they are little. You may feel tired and overwhelmed but they are still some of the most wonderful days of your life. You will never get them back again. Treasure them.
Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
PRAYER:
“Oh Lord, help me to realize that my children are precious gifts from your hand. Help me to make the most of every special day with them. Help me to give of myself without resentment as I will never be able to recall these days again. I thank you, Lord, for my precious babies, but I thank you too, that you have given them to me to train and polish them to be helpful hard workers and to be mighty arrows who will accomplish great things for your kingdom. Amen.”
QUOTE:
“Mothers of children, can you not see
The world of tomorrow asleep on your knee?”