El Rachum - The God of Compassion

On this journey of motherhood that has not gone as I've planned I've dug into the Bible, sermons, and podcasts through this healing process. You'll find all throughout the scripture direction for wives and marriage. But, you know what you don't find? There's just not a lot on the direction of motherhood. Instead we find women of the Bible that lived out their purpose in the earth simply by being all God created them to be.

In our world today motherhood is viewed as a job. It's why when you search for podcasts on "What is a mother?" you'll find nothing but information that just wants to help you survive it. It's why women experience burn out, stress, constantly feeling like not enough, and feeling disconnected from the rest of the world. Families have fallen so far out of alignment with God's original intention for the family that leaves the answer of "I'm a mother" to the question "What do you do?" as simply not enough.

The world has placed the title of mother to a select group of people that hold children from birth to the age of 18 in their hands. So what does that mean to women who are barren, to those who have lost children, or to those whose children don't live in their home? What about the women whose children grow up and leave home? What about the women who never gave birth but has invited a child into her home? What about the women who are raising spiritual kids? We've given a position and a job title instead of embracing the God given calling and Kingdom assignment to be daughters of God - mothers.

From the very beginning the war of our lives has always been over the womb. There are a

lot of ideas of why it was Eve that the serpent approached in the garden. But, I'm guessing more than anything else it was because Satan knew what Eve was carrying. He knew that Eve was God's womb in the earth. It was through Eve that God had planned to birth all mankind. As he always does Satan came to steal, kill, and destroy what God has created to give life and life abundantly.

The word womb in Hebrew is "rechem" which means a place of deep compassionate love and comes from the root word "rachum" which speaks of mercy, tender love, compassion, and protection. In Hebrew God's name, "El Rachum" means the God of compassion. This name of God expresses His character of compassion and mercy. The womb in every woman is a place that expresses God's character in the form of love, tender mercies, and compassion. More than a physical place for birthing it is a channel from which compassion motivated by love emanates.

The Bible doesn't tell us much else about Eve's motherhood. You would think God would tell us a little bit more in scriptures other than "she was the mother of all living." (Genesis 3:20) Some type of mother's manual or blueprints would have been nice. Yet, none was needed. Eve's identity in the Kingdom of God was "mother of all living." It wasn't a job title. It didn't start when Cain and Abel were born. It didn't end when Abel died. A mother was who Eve was created to be. Even through the pain and the consequences of the fall, Eve was still and will always be "the mother of all living." Through Eve living in her true identity in the Kingdom of God her legacy was created. Her children had children and it was then, "At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD." (Genesis 4:26)

So what if motherhood isn't defined by the standards of the world? What if your purpose on earth isn't just for a title, another job, or simply to survive those sleepless nights? What if the purpose of birthing (physically or spiritually) is to partner with heaven to share the heart of God with the world? The womb signifies the beginning of life, a place where life is created and nurtured. It is God's creative power on display. Mankind is God's physical wombs on the earth for birthing His purposes.

Over and over we see mother's of the Bible. Birth mothers, adoptive mother's, spiritual mother's, midwives, women longing to birth children and yet none of their stories look like the pretty picture of motherhood we see on social media today.

Sarah was barren, birthed Isaac at 90 years old, and then surrendered him when God told Abraham to offer him as a sacrifice. (Genesis 17 & 22)

Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide.

Hagar was a slave and given to her owner's husband to birth children. She then fled to the wilderness where an angel met her and told her if she returned to the harsh treatments of her mistress that God would bless her son and multiply her offspring so that they could not be numbered. (Genesis 16)

El Roi - The God who sees.

Rebekah was barren and her husband prayed to the LORD on her behalf and the LORD granted his request and she conceived. War broke out in her womb and the LORD said to her two nations were in her womb. She gave birth to twins. (Genesis 25)

Jehovah - The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Jacob had two wives. Leah was hated and her womb was open. Rachel's womb was barren. But then God remembered her and He birthed the 12 tribes of Israel through both of them. (Genesis 29 & 30)

Yahweh - The God of Israel.

Moses' mother was only known as "a Levite woman." The mother of the child that set the Israelites free. The one that led them through the Red Sea to their freedom. Her name was never given. She hid him when Pharaoh wanted to kill him. She placed him in a basket among the reeds by the river bank until he was found and adopted by Pharaoh's own daughter. Pharaoh's daughter then brought him back to his birth mother so that she could care for him until he was weaned. He then was brought into the very palace that wanted him dead where he was then raised and prepared in the very home he would one day rescue his people from. (Exodus 2-3)

El Ehyeh - I AM WHO I AM.

Hannah the mother of Samuel was barren. She cried out to the LORD and in due time she conceived. She then gave her son back to the LORD as an act of worship and he grew up in the temple with the priest, Eli. (1 Samuel 1-3)

El Shaddai - God Almighty.

Elizabeth was barren. Yet, both her and her husband, Zechariah, were found righteous before God walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. Elizabeth was well advanced in years. She birthed John the baptist who grew up in the wilderness and became strong in spirit until his public appearance when he would preach the kingdom of God in preparation for the coming Savior of the world. (Luke 1)

Elohim - Mighty One.

Mary. Beloved. Favored one. The young girl who conceived supernaturally by the Holy Spirit. The one who said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word." The womb that birthed, Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. The woman that gave her life and surrendered her Son so that all could be saved. (Luke 1 & 2)

Immanuel - God with us.

The Bible is filled with mothers. Women of every background and every age. Women who failed miserably and women who were righteous. Their stories of motherhood look nothing like you see on social media. It wasn't filled with fun snacks and crafts. It wasn't perfect days from birth to 18. In fact, it was quite the opposite. It was messy. Each of these stories are filled with grief, pain, and confusion. Each story is also filled with a great love story of redemption. The only real thing these mother's had in common were they walked in their calling and purpose to walk fully surrendered to the Lord. They feared Him. They loved Him. They trusted Him. There is nothing more powerful than the God who asks a mother to give their child back to Him. The other thing these mother's had in common were that their testimonies ushered in the presence of God in a new way. In each passage of scripture we're invited in to know God by a new name. You have no idea what walking in your true identity will birth in the earth!

God is being revealed through your story in a new way. Can you imagine the lives that will be transformed by you knowing exactly who you are as God's daughter or son? When you know your identity in Christ and your purpose in the Kingdom you raise sons and daughters that know who they are. When your sons and daughters know who they are they walk fully in their callings. People are saved and transformed when we know who God is and when we know who we are! The children of God releasing the fullness of God by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies. What is God birthing through your life?

God created you on purpose for a purpose. Nothing is wasted. No story is outside the redemption of God. If you are facing loss, pain, or grief today reach out for Jesus. He's so near. If you're struggling to see what comes next sit in His presence. Take your spot at His feet and let Him be God. Just worship Him. He'll meet you there. Ask Him how He wants to reveal Himself to you today. Surrender. Trust. Rest. Repeat. Don't stop! Don't back down. Keep going!

Whether you're a mother, a daughter, a grandmother, or even a man of God reading this I pray that you would know the deep, deep love God has for you and for your family. He has good plans for you. He has good plans for your children. Your pain is not in vain. You are pregnant with purpose and destiny. You will not miscarry the purposes of God in your life. Your testimony will be that through it all You know God and that He brought you from death to life. The best is yet to come because all glory and honor and praise is His!

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