Risen MotherhoodSample

Mundane Moments 

In the beginning, God meant for his people to work, and much of their work was to be both good and mundane. From our vantage point, it seems like naming the animals was an extraordinary job—but likely, this was just Adam’s day-in and day-out responsibility, given to him for worship, purpose, and enjoyment. As Adam and Eve brought order to God’s earth with goodness, thoughtfulness, and authority, they imaged God and brought him glory. 

Unfortunately, Eve wasn’t satisfied with the fullness of God’s provision in Eden or the knowledge and responsibilities he’d given her. Instead, she listened to the serpent, who tempted her to seek the extraordinary—becoming like God himself by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. She was the first human who wanted to step outside the ordinary, human, limited bounds of God’s commands into something greater, godlike, and unlimited.

Like Eve, the part of us that wants to accomplish something extraordinary and be “like God” is alive and well. The part of our heart that longs for more than laundry piles, sitting in the car at the school pick-up line, and dealing with the same issues with the same old coworkers still burns.

I often want to find answers to those longings by manipulating my life to be fresher and more exciting, less normal and run of the mill. I swipe through social media feeds on my phone, hoping to see something interesting to add to my own life. I try to make washing the dishes more interesting by listening to podcasts while I scrub. Being thoughtful with my time is a good thing, but my deepest longing for glory and purpose is found in Christ.

Mom, because we’re united to him, our identity is extraordinary and our calling is magnificent. Remember, we’re part of an epic story headed for a glorious ending. We’re really not that special, but Christ in us is spectacular. He’s our hope for glory. We can do all kinds of extraordinary things with a new nature bought and provided for by him through the Holy Spirit.

It might be mundane to fold laundry, but it’s extraordinary to do it patiently with joy and a heart of love. It might be mundane to sit on the couch and read another book to a whiny four-year-old, but it’s extraordinary to show kindness and mercy to an undeserving sinner. It might be mundane to fill the fridge with groceries, but it’s extraordinary to praise God for his provision. Our everyday moments might be ordinary, but when we accomplish them while displaying the fruit of the Spirit, they reflect our extraordinary Savior.

So the laundry piles will keep coming and coming and coming—but we can pursue excellence in our hidden, everyday moments, knowing that “to live is Christ.” Even folding laundry is “from him and through him and to him.” And that isn’t mundane at all.

Reflect: What is one of your least favorite mundane activities in motherhood and why does it make you feel that way? What might make that activity meaningful work in the kingdom of God and cause you to worship? 

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Emily and Laura have more teaching and encouragement to share. Get more gospel truth for everyday life. Discover Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments.