Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.”
Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. 

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.”
Genesis 4:1 (NIV)

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.
Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.”
So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
Genesis 4:1–2, 8–11, 16, 25 (NIV)

Commentary

The story of Eve is one of firsts—not just first-time parenting, but the first pregnancy, the first birth. It is also a story of hope, grief, and redemption. In Genesis 4:1–2, it says, “she conceived and bore Cain.” Do you remember your first pregnancy? The joy? The excitement? The anticipation and hope for the future? Never having seen it done before, I’m willing to bet that feeling was amplified for Eve.

As a new mother, Eve understood that the only way to bring forth life is “…with the help of the Lord”. She acknowledged and celebrated that blessing. In the spirit of being fruitful, Eve gave birth to a second child, Abel. But things took a dark turn. At some point, Cain gets angry and kills his brother.

Could you imagine receiving that devastating news? That you have not only lost a child, but that the child was murdered by his own flesh and blood—a child you birthed? How internally conflicting that must have been. Eve lost two children in one day—for the Bible says Cain was cursed by God to become a fugitive and a wanderer upon the earth.

But Eve’s motherhood story doesn’t end there. Although her sons were no longer with her, God still remembered Eve and “appointed for [her] another offspring.”

See, the story of Cain and Abel isn’t simply one of murder. Buried between the lines is a mother who carried and birthed two children. She didn’t just birth children; she raised them. She watched them grow, perhaps squabble, develop personalities, and make choices. And like many mothers, she may have tried to correct, teach, nurture, and guide. But ultimately, the decisions her sons made were their own.

It’s a hard truth for mothers: we plant seeds, but we can’t always control what grows. We shape and we shepherd, but our children’s paths belong to them—and to God.

Whether you are a grieving parent, a parent whose child is rebelling or gone astray, a parent releasing a graduate into the next season, or even a newer parent like myself, dealing with a tot whose favorite words are “no” and “let me do it,” the story of Eve is a reminder that the parenting journey isn’t a fairy tale. We can hope and dream for our children. But ultimately, it is their decisions—and God’s grace—that shape their path.

So give yourself some grace and some breathing room to let God do His thing in you and through you. And when the time comes, release them back into His hands—because as Eve said in the beginning, it’s only “…with the help of the Lord.”

ME Notes

• Eve’s motherhood was marked by both devastating loss and divine help.
• God gave her another child—not as a replacement, but as a reminder that legacy can rise even from brokenness.
• Releasing our children to live—and be corrected—by God is not failure. It’s faith.

Through Our Lens 

Motherhood will always include moments of pride and pain. Our responsibility is not to perfect our children, but to prepare them—and ultimately to release them. Whether they walk closely with God or wander far off, we entrust their lives to the One who sees and knows all. You are not alone in that release. Eve had to let go. So do we.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank you for reminding us through Eve’s story that motherhood is a journey of both nurturing and release. We lift up every mother experiencing grief, frustration, confusion, or fear. Teach us how to plant seeds of truth and love, and help us to surrender the outcomes into Your hands.

Give us peace when we feel helpless, strength when we’re stretched thin, and hope when the road ahead feels unclear. Just like Eve, may we trust that You still see us—and that You are faithful, even when we don’t yet know the final outcome.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.