Illustration: So, why did God make Mothers? Well, here is how some 2nd graders answered the following questions:
1.Q: Why did God make mothers? The top answers: ''Mostly to clean the house'' and ''to help us out of there when we were getting born.''
2. Q: Why did God give you Your mother and not some other mom? The top answers: ''We're related'' and ''God knew she like me a lot more than other people's mom like me.''
3. Q: Why did your mom marry your dad? Top answers: ''She got too old to do anything else with him'' and ''My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.''
4. Q: Who is the boss at your house? Top answer: ''I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than Dad.''
5. Q: What does your mom do in her spare time? Top Answer: ''Mothers don't do spare time.''
6. Q: What would it take to make your mom perfect? Top answer: ''On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.'' Well, there you have it straight from some brilliant second graders!
Abraham Lincoln said, ''No man is poor who has a godly mother.'' There have been many mothers in the history of the world who have impacted their sons in a tremendous way. Abraham Lincoln was one of those. St. Augustine, the great religious leader, had a mother named Monica and it was the prayers of his mother, Monica, that brought him to the foot of the cross. Others have had godly mothers or grandmothers in the history of the world. Also, the Bible tells us about many wonderful mothers who are great examples for all the mothers here today who want to be what God wants them to be.
Introduction: There are many things that our mothers have taught us. In 1 Samuel chapter 1 we find the story of a woman, a mother named Hannah. There are some important things that Hannah, a godly mother teaches us. This ordinary woman is an example of a great woman and a godly mother in the Old Testament. What does Hannah this godly mother teach us? What would Hannah tell us if we could ask her about her testimony, her story, her walk with God?
First, Hannah might say to us ... What do godly moms teach their children?
1. Bring Your Burdens and Cares to the Lord (vs. 2, 10)
Hannah was a woman who had a burden. Hannah was one of two wives of a man named Elkanah. Elkanah's wife Peninnah had children. 1 Samuel 1:2, 10, NKJV says, however, ''But Hannah had no children … And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.'' Hannah was a brokenhearted and disappointed woman, but she brought her ...
We must recognize the difference between burdens that are right for us to bear and burdens that are wrong. We should never bear the burdens of sin or doubt, but there are some burdens placed on us by God which He does not intend to lift off. God wants us to roll them back on Him - to literally “cast your burden,” which He has given you, “on the Lord…” If we set out to serve God and do His work but get out of touch with Him, the sense of responsibility we feel will be overwhelming and defeating. But if we will only roll back on God the burdens He has placed on us, He will take away that immense feeling of responsibility, replacing it with an awareness and understanding of Himself and His presence.
Many servants of God set out to serve God with great courage and with the right motives. But with no intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, they are soon defeated. They do not know what to do with their burden, and it produces weariness in their lives. Others will see this and say, “What a sad end to something that had such a great beginning!”
“Cast your burden on the Lord…” (Psalm 55:22) You have been bearing it all, but you need to deliberately place one end on God’s shoulder. “…the government will be upon His shoulder” (Isaiah 9:6). Commit to God whatever burden He has placed on you. Don’t just cast it aside, but put it over onto Him and place yourself there with it. You will see that your burden is then lightened by the sense of companionship. However, you should never try to separate yourself from your burden.
2. Pray and Worship the Lord without ceasing (vs. 12-16)
There are many things that separate a Christian from the world. A Christian has been made alive in Christ while the unregenerate follow the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air and are dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-5). A Christian will display the love of the Father to all while the world has no love (John 13:35, 1 John 3:14-15). A Christian will obey the word of the Father and keep his commandments while the world will not (1 John 2:4-6, 3:7-10).
The world is in a constant state of a rebellion against God, but the Christian has been called to a life of unending worship. From the time we wake up in the morning to the time we go to sleep and even when we are asleep, we are called to praise the Father. We were created to glorify His name, and our entire lives should be centered on worshipping His precious name.
Maintaining a healthy relationship requires communication. Always be "on line" with God so when the Spirit moves you to pray, you can instantly agree with Him. The Holy Spirit prays for us with inexpressible groans (Romans 8:26). When in agreement with the Spirit, we are praying continuously. The heart attitude of praying without ceasing means an ever-open heart to the Lord’s leading.
If we are praying without ceasing -- even while driving, changing the baby, washing dishes, or running a lawn mower -- we can be open to the leading of the Spirit when He urges us to pray for something or someone. At that time, we can agree with God and make a mental note to add that concern to our later prayer time.
Praying without ceasing doesn’t take the place of time alone in prayer with God. However, it is a joyful experience to unite with the LORD who lays burdens on our hearts. We can't always stop and kneel, but our heart attitude can still be "praying without ceasing."
The primary goal of prayer and worship is transformation. This is place where you meet God and are transformed. This is what happened to Hannah. If she was not barren, would she even have the urgency to pursue and meet God? The only way transformation can occur is to give ourselves totally to God so the mind and power of Jesus Christ can indwell in us. And when that happens, every moment, every activity of life, we are like Jesus.
Praying without ceasing is sometimes difficult when it seems like God is not answering ... this is how it seemed to Hannah for many many years and now she had reached her edge. She went over the top and seemed to the world that she had gone insane. She chased God like a mad woman. And God surely honored that prayer and worship.
3. Dedicate and Surrender your lives to God (vs. 22, 24-28)
This was a constant reminder from my grandmother when I met her during my holidays.
Once I tasted of the amazing love that He gives and began to experience His presence in my life, I began to yearn for more of all that He could be in my life. Notice in the scripture below some of the key phrases the Psalmist (Psalms 119:33-37) uses as he surrenders to the Lord.
• Teach me
• Give me
• Direct me
• Turn my heart towards
• Turn my eyes away
Every day you need to give yourself entirely to God. Say, "Lord, I am Yours. I want to be a vessel fit for Your use. I dedicate myself to You: I give You my hands, my mouth, my mind, my body, my money, and my time. Father, here I am. I am Yours; do with me whatever You want to do today."
Once you dedicate yourself to God, then go on about your business. But expect His leading all day long. Listen for His voice to direct you in the way you should go. Accept the challenge to be an instrument for the Lord's use today.
You can meet with God while lying in bed. You don't have to be in a private room, with the door closed, bowed down on your knees to meet God. You can meet Him in the shower, while driving to work, or when stuck in a traffic jam.
True surrender is not simply surrender of our external life, but surrender of our will— and once that is done; surrender is complete. The greatest crisis we ever face is the surrender of our will. However, God never forces a person’s will into surrender, and He never begs. He patiently waits until that person willingly yields to Him. And once that battle has been fought, it never needs to be fought again.
Surrendering your life to Jesus is about choosing HIS way over yours. It's about TRUSTING that He is in control of the outcome. It's about deciding that your sin is not as important as fulfilling God's will. If surrendering still sounds scary to you, take heart—God’s plan for our lives will always benefit us (Jeremiah 29:11), unlike our own plans, which often lead to self-destruction (Proverbs 14:12). Let go and let God work.
Application: What have your moms or grandmothers taught you? Many of you here are going to be future moms and grandmothers. What are you going to teach your children and grand kids?
