In May, the world pauses to celebrate Mother’s Day, a beautiful occasion dedicated to honoring the gift of motherhood and the important role mothers play in our lives.

As a mother myself, I have experienced motherhood as both a profound blessing and a sacred privilege. It is a divine calling to serve, nurture, and make a meaningful impact. Being a mother uniquely positions us to partner with God in fulfilling His purposes not only in the lives of our children but also in shaping nations.

We are entrusted with God’s precious gifts, called to guide our children into the incredible people they are destined to become.

The Hidden Power of the “Gebirah”

Recently, while reflecting on motherhood, I noticed a fascinating pattern in the Biblical accounts of the kings of Judah: the mother’s name is always mentioned alongside the name of the king.

Curious as to why the scriptures were written this way, I dug deeper. I learned that mentioning the mother wasn’t just a formality; it was essential because of her official role in the Kingdom.

The mother of the king held the official title of Gebirah (the Queen Mother).

Her name was recorded to legitimize the lineage of the enthroned king, but her role went far beyond genealogy. The Gebirah was regarded as the most influential woman in the royal court, serving as the king’s chief counselor and intercessor. Her power affected all aspects of governance—social, political, and religious.

Influence for Good (and Evil)

The Bible gives us clear examples of just how much authority these mothers held over the destiny of a nation:

• Bathsheba’s Strategic Wisdom (1 Kings 1:11-27): She used her influence with king David to ensure her son, Solomon, rightfully succeeded the throne, ushering in an era of unprecedented peace and wisdom.

• King Lemuel’s Teacher (Proverbs 31:1-9): In this chapter, King Lemuel shares the profound wisdom and instructions taught to him by his mother. She gave him the blueprints on how to be a just leader, a defender of the marginalized, and how to avoid vices.

• Athaliah’s Negative Influence: On the flip side, we see the tragic impact of a mother’s negative influence. In 2 Chronicles 22:1-3, we read that King Ahaziah did what was evil in the eyes of God because his mother was his counselor in doing evil.

The Divine mandate of motherhood

This revelation of the Gebirah shows us just how much spiritual power and authority mothers hold over their children and society today.

Mothers have been given a unique grace to nurture their children in the things of God. From infancy to adulthood, we are positioned to be key intercessors and positive voices of influence. Our words and actions carry immense weight, and we must not take them lightly.

• Our encouraging words uplift their hearts when they are down.

• Our advice and counsel guide their decisions toward leading a godly and fruitful life.

• Our intercessions in prayer beckon heaven to move on behalf of our children as they pursue their ordained purposes to bring glory to God

Mothers are given this influence to do great good, and history is full of godly mothers whose legacies have been a tremendous blessing to the world. For this, I give God all the praise and glory!

A Prayer for Mothers

If you are a mother, or if you want to lift up the mothers in your life, join me in this prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for our mothers. Thank you for the grace, power, and authority You have given them to fulfill this great call. Today, we ask for a continuous outpouring of strength, wisdom, and anointing upon them.

Being a mother is a beautiful yet challenging work, but we know that with the help of the Holy Spirit, mothers can fulfill this calling. Help them to always trust and lean on Your Spirit.

We pray specifically for mothers who are hurting, wounded, or broken by the heavy circumstances of this world and challenges in their own motherhood journeys. May they be healed, restored, and redeemed by Your love and power. We also pray for the women who are deeply desiring this holy calling; grant the desires of their hearts, and equip them as they become mothers.

Thank you for mothers and all that they do. May they press on today, knowing that their labor is never in vain, Your purposes are being fulfilled, and You are forever glorified.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭31‬:‭25‬-‭28‬ ‭ESV‬‬