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
But one evening she taught me something that has stuck with me over the years- the power of prayer. I was in seventh grade and I had an English teacher named Pearl Leland. She was an older lady who was as tough as nails. On the first day of class she handed us our English workbooks and said, in her gruff manner, Don’t ever come into this class without your notebooks. Well one day I lost my notebook so in the midst of our family devotions one evening, I asked for prayer for my notebook that I would find it and not go to class without it. We all prayed. The next day in homeroom a classmate came up to my desk without much explanation and handed me my notebook-Just in time for my English class. My mom taught me the power of personal specific prayer. And that God was interested in it all big things and small things.
The second characteristic of a Godly mom is that she actively teaches her children about God.
1 Samuel says that Hannah stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned Him.
Hannah made motherhood a priority in her life. She actively poured as much of her life, love, and care into her little baby boy.
In our society we often neglect to give the honor and prestige that moms deserve. Our children can easily be viewed as interruptions, pit stops, duties and responsibilities instead of a precious gift that we are given by God. Many of you sitting here can attest that time will move faster than you ever imagine and your children will move on and move out. Don’t miss out.
Your work is important and life changing.
George Washington said, "I am what I am because of my mother!"
Preacher G. Campbell Morgan had four sons and they all became ministers of the gospel. At a family reunion, a friend asked one of the sons, "Which Morgan is the greatest preacher?" The son quickly replied, My Mother.
Mother was the greatest preacher. Many moms have done a lot of preaching to their children, whether they considered it preaching or not.
Growing up my mom preached a many a sermon through her actions. She taught about encouraging others when I watched her send birthday cards and anniversary cards out to everyone in our small church. She showed me an example of generosity that I seek to incorporate into my own life, but am not there yet. As children she gladly did without just to make sure her children were happy. She showed us through our every Sunday lunches with my grandparents the importance of extended family, and most of all she who was an active church member brought me to church every Sunday and through that exposure I Accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. In my teen years she modeled spending time with Jesus each day in personal quiet times. I could go on and on.
Yes, mothers you preach quite a sermon to your children just by the things you do or don’t so. The things that are important to you and the things that are not.
The final characteristic of a Godly mother is the ability to let Go.
Listen to verses 24-28
Hannah kept her word she vowed that if God gave her a son she would give him completely to the work of God. And as hard as it was she let him go.
Now thankfully we have much longer than there years, but there comes a time whether by marriage, career, or even death where he have to let go. We spend 18 years weaning and nurturing and then it is time to let them fly.
And then a strange phennomen sometimes happens. For 18 years there was a parent-child relationship, but as that child matures the relationship expands to include friendship.
One of the Joys in ministry for me was the opportunity that God gave me to share mission trip experiences with my mom. And even more awesome was watching as together as peers as well as mother-son we were sharing the love of Jesus Christ with migrant workers in Batesburg and with the people of Athens, Greece.
But that relationship would never have developed unless first my mom let me go to become the man that she hoped I would become.
To some of you moms this letting go will be joy filled but others it will be sad. But you have to let go.
Barbara Johnson in her book Stick a gerranium in your hat and be happy writes how she lost two sons to death and another son to Gay lifestyle. It was the last son that grieved her the most. He just left and she didn’t know where he was. She write that for months she was in a deep depression and had finally decided to end her life. She was going to drive her car off a cliff, but before she could do that she saw a billboard scaffold that looked like a cross and it was there with tears streaming down her cheeks that she heard the voice of God, who said lay Tim at the foot of my cross. She got out of the car and simulated carrying him and laying him down. She prayed Lord, I give Tim to you. You are his savior I am not. You are God and I am not. Take good care of my boy. And with that she walked back to her car, her depression had lifted and there was a return of joy to her spirit. She had to let Go.
If this is where you are at, then trust your son or your daughter into the hands of our ever capable God. Still loving and never forgetting, but just not living their life for them.
ILL.- MOTHERS ARE...
Blowers of noses and washers of ears,
Smoothers of bumped spots and wipers of tears.
Scrubbers of dishes and wielders of mops,
Grandmas for dollies and winders of tops.
Bathers of babies and umpires of spats,
Finders of rubbers, mittens and hats.
Helpers with lessons and makers of beds,
Shakers of dustclothes and combers of heads.
Button-sew-oners and winders of clocks,
Menders of dresses and darners of socks.
Tellers of stories and readers of books,
Judges and juries of conduct and looks.
Doctors for heartaches and hearers of prayers,
Generals, directing all family affairs.
Tenders of home fires and builders of men,
Oh, for the gift of an adequate pen!
Today, on this day, Mother’s Day choose today to be the mom that God has called you to be.
