Mother

This morning as we celebrate this special Sunday called Mother’s Day I hope that we can all rejoice and be glad. Whether your mom is alive or dead, Today during the few minutes of this message remember and let those past and or present memories help you to smile.

So who and what is a mother. Listen to what some children have put together:

An eight year old child named Mary wrote her mom a note for Mother’s Day, it read, ”Dear Mother, here is the box of candy I bought you for Mother’s Day. IT IS VERY GOOD CANDY. I KNOW, BECAUSE I ALREADY had 3

Or how about this 8 year old child, her note read something like:

ILL.- Eight-year-old Carol also wrote her mom a note on Mother’s Day it read, "DEAR MOTHER, HERE ARE 2 ASPIRINS. HAVE A HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY."

Or how about this one from 6 year old Johnny and his 4 year old sister Suzy. Suzy presented their mom with a Mother’s Day present; a small, spindly house plant. While it wasn’t the finest looking specimen, they had bought it with their own money and Mom was thrilled. She hugged and kissed her children and told them she loved them for thinking of her.

Johnny said, "There was some other flowers we wanted to buy for you, Mom, but we didn’t have enough money." "Yeah," said sister Suzy, "they had a real nice bunch of flowers at the shop that we were going to buy."

"But I love this plant," said the happy mother. "I know, Mom," said Johnny, "but these flowers would have been perfect for you. They were in a wreath and they had a ribbon that said ’REST IN PEACE’ on it AND YOU know you are always asking for a little peace so you can rest.

One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her small boy into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, "Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?" The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. "I can’t, Dear," she said, "I have to sleep with your daddy." A long silence occurred then he said in a shaky voice "The Big Sissy!"

We could go on and on, but our best picture of parenting especially being a mom is found in the Bible. Turn with me to 1 Samuel chapter 1. As we look at the life of Hannah we can glean several principles about being a Godly Mom.

Before we get to our key passage we must understand the context by which are principles flow from.

There was a man named Elkanah who had two wives: Hannah and Penniah. Penniah was able to have children but Hannah could not. To be barren in this culture was believed to be a sign of personal sin or cursed life. Penniah loved to rub it in to Hannah that was alone and incomplete. Perhaps could ignore Penniah most of the time, but every year they made a trip to worship. The entire family would go along. Penninah with all her children and Hannah who felt very much like a fifth wheel. Being single for many years, I could relate, I would go off with a family on a trip or a vacation, but no matter the trip, I would feel awkward and many times incomplete.

Finally Hannah reached her breaking point. She could endure the ridicule not longer so she went to the door of the church fell face down and began to pray and weep.

Listen to her prayer and the rest of her story,

1 Samuel 1:9-20

The first characteristic of a Godly Mom as seen in the life of Hannah is one who believes in the power of prayer.

Hannah realized that the only one who could help her was God. In that day many men and women went through the motions in prayer. But scripture says that Hannah laid it all out before her God. In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord. In fact her prayer was so intense that The priest Eli thought she was drunk.

Hannah’s situation seemed hopeless and so out of hopelessness and helplessness came her prayer.

This principle applies to all not just moms. We must never forget the power of prayer. No matter the age of your child. Your child stills needs your persistent prayers. Once your child grows up and begins his or her own family the only thing you maybe be able to do is pray. Persistently pray for your children even when you feel like Hannah that their life situation is hopeless.

You have heard me tell this story before but I want to share it again. My own mom early on in my life modeled the importance or prayer- The importance of worship. As we set together in church I would watch her take notes and the preacher preached, that amazed me, it seemed hard enough just to sit still and be quiet- Take notes. My mom also taught me the importance of behaving in church. My mom had a way of looking at you, we children called it the evil eye- If you got that eye, you know trouble was waiting you at home