A Godly Mother

INTRODUCTION, I found some interesting facts about mothers as I was preparing my message this week.

• According to the Census Bureau, 71% of America’s women, age 18 and over are mothers.

• The average mother has 2.7 children.

• In 2008, 5.5 million dollars was spent on mother’s day cards.

• Today, (Mother’s Day) is the busiest day of the year in America’s restaurants.

• More long distance call will be made today than any other day of the year. The peak time for calls will be between 1:30 and 3:30 this afternoon.

• Sadly, many mothers today are going it alone – In 2008 (Most recent stats) there were nearly 12 million single mothers under the age of 18, another 9 million mothers between the ages of 18-44 who have never been married.

Being a mom is hard work! For many of us, our mothers were like super heroes with all kinds of super powers…

• They seem to have eyes in the back of their head

• They always know when we have done something wrong.

• They know when to hug and when to scold.

Mothers also have a unique wisdom that helps their children navigate the journey of life. Mothers have a way of saying things that really drive home the point. Have you ever heard your mom uses these phrases?

Mom, have you dispensed this kind of wisdom?

• I brought you into this world – I will take you out!

• Keep it up and I will give you something to cry about!

• No means No!

• If Johnny jumped off the bridge – would you jump also?

• Do not let me have to come up there.

The influence of a mother is far reaching.

• Abraham Lincoln “No man is poor who has a Godly mother.”

• Ronald Reagan said, “No nation is ever greater than its mothers”.

• The Jewish Rabbis had a proverb that said, “God cannot be everywhere at the same time so He made mothers.”

Mothers have a very special place in our society. They set the tone for the home and the family. You have probably heard the saying “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”

The Bible holds the role of motherhood in high esteem. Women such as Sarah, Rachel, Ruth, Elizabeth and Mary all made sacrifices in order that God could use their children in mighty ways.

Today, I want us to look at one mother from scripture. Her name is Hannah and you read about her 1 Samuel.

Hannah lived during a dark time in Israel’s history. There was no great leader in the land. Occasionally judges would rise up and lead for a period of time, but there was no succession plan and no one appointed leader to guide the nation. Israel was in a state of turmoil and confusion.

The last verse of the book of judges describes the conditions of the day, Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.

There was a desperate need for a great leader in the chaos and the sinfulness of that day.

However, Leadership was not the only thing lacking in Israel. The priesthood of God had become corrupt, as sinful men led the people in the rituals of sacrifice. The tabernacle, God’s holy meeting place, was also in disarray. To make matters worse, the nation had a limited prophetic voice; there were no great preachers in Israel, no prophets to call the people back to moral and spiritual purity.

It was a time when God needed a special man to rise up, and in order to make a special man you need a special woman and Hannah was that woman.

This morning I want us to look at three actions Hannah took so her child could be used of God; these same actions are still needed today.

READ TEXT I SAMUEL 1:1-11

1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD.

4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.

5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb.

6 And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.