What A Mom

You ever been broke? I mean really broke? She was and she couldn’t believe her ears! She was at the end of her rope. Life was hard enough for a widow in that day and age, but the drought that they had been experienceing had been the straw that broke the camels back. Well she should have been lucky enough to have a camel with a broken back. She was out of food, out of money and was so broke that she couldn’t even afford to pay attention. She had enough food at home to make one last meal, and she figured hey if we’re going to starve might as well have a hot meal first. So out she went to collect some fire wood and it was at that point that into her life comes the prophet Elizah, who like a typical preacher was asking for something. Now the first request was fairly simple, he said "Would you please bring me a cup of water?" Well, that wasn’t all that tough, even she could afford to give someone a drink of water, but as she turned to walk away it got a little tougher because he said "oh by the way could you grab me a sandwich as well" Her response to this man of God would not only have an immediate impact on her life but it would ultimately be a life changing impact.

MOTHERS DAY AND MOTHERS. A JEWISH PROVERB SAYS, "GOD COULD NOT BE EVERYWHERE SO HE MADE MOTHERS." THE SPANISH SAY, "AN OUNCE OF MOTHER IS WORTH A POUND OF CLERGY"

THINK ABOUT IT MOTHER IS THE NAME FOR GOD IN THE LIPS AND HEARTS OF LITTLE CHILDREN. BUT SIMPLY HAVING CHILDREN DOES NOT MAKE YOU A MOTHER. HAVING A CHILD IS SIMPLY A BIOLOGICAL FUNCTION. BEING A MOTHER IS AN ACT OF THE HEART. NAPOLEON SAID, "THE FUTURE DESTINY OF A CHILD IS THE WORK OF A MOTHER". I BELIEVE THAT MOTHERS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE HEART OF GOD.

And although we know very little about the woman who was written of in the scripture that Greg read this morning we do know that she was a mother and a very devoted mother. And because today is mother’s day I thought it fitting that I should preach on a mother, and not just any mother but a very special mother. And even though my mother is a very special mother I thought that using a mother from the Bible would be more a little more appropriate for church.

1) SHE WAS AN APPOINTED WOMAN. 1 Kings 17:9 "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."

HERE IS A WOMAN ABOUT WHOM WE KNOW NOTHING, WE HAVE NO NAME TO CALL HER BY, WE DON’T KNOW HER AGE OF HER LINEAGE. NOTHING AND YET GOD USED HERE AS HIS INSTRUMENT TO PROVIDE FOR HIS PROPHET.

THIS WOMAN HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH DESTINY! SHE WAS CHOSEN FOR A SPECIFIC TASK, ACTUALLY TWO SPECIFIC TASKS. THE FIRST TO RAISE A SON, THE SECOND TO PROVIDE FOR ONE OF GOD’S SERVANTS. SHE HAD A DIVINE APPOINTMENT TO BE A MOTHER, BUT SHE ALSO HAD A DIVINE APPOINTMENT TO BE A MINISTER OF GOD. IT WAS NO ACCIDENT THAT SHE WAS CHOSEN TO MEET ELIJAH.

JUST AS THE ANGEL GABRIEL SAID TO MARY, "You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you." JUST AS MARY WAS CHOSEN, JUST AS ESTHER WAS CHOSEN, JUST AS RUTH WAS CHOSEN, JUST AS SARAH WAS CHOSEN, JUST AS DEBORAH WAS CHOSEN, JUST AS PRICILLA WAS CHOSEN, JUST AS TABITHA WAS CHOSEN. IN THE VERY SAME WAY THIS NAMELESS WIDOW WAS CHOSEN TO SERVE GOD BY SERVING GOD’S SERVANT.

NOW THE FIRST APPOINTMENT, THE RAISING OF THE SON COMES WITH CERTAIN GROUND RULES, THE FIRST AND GREATEST BEING, Proverbs 22:6 Teach your children right from wrong, and when they are grown they will still do right.

AS PARENTS OUR GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY AND OUR GREATEST APPOINTMENT IS THE SPIRITUAL TRAINING OF OUR CHILDREN. ALL ELSE PALES IN COMPARISON. IF WE NEGLECT THEIR HEALTH, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT THEY WILL GET SICK, IF WE NEGLECT THEIR TEETH, THERE IS A GOOD

CHANCE THAT THEY WILL LOSE THEM, IF WE NEGLECT THEIR EDUCATION THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THEY WILL END UP A BUM ON THE STREET. BUT IF WE NEGLECT THEIR SPIRITUAL TRAINING THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THEY WILL GO TO HELL, AND HELL IS FOREVER.

NOW KEEPING THAT IN MIND REALIZE THAT THE ONLY RESPONSIBILITY IN PROVERBS 22:6 FOR THE PARENT IS THE FIRST PART, Teach your children right from wrong, DR. JAMES DOBSON A NOTED CHRISTIAN CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST SAID THAT THE MESSAGE OF THIS PROVERB WAS THIS , "DO YOUR BEST WHEN THEY ARE YOUNG AND HOPE FOR THE BEST WHEN THEY ARE OLD." DOBSON ALSO REMINDS US THAT THERE ARE TWO AGES MENTIONED HERE CHILDREN, AND OLD PEOPLE AND NOTHING IN BETWEEN, EVEN SOLOMON WASN’T GAME TO TALK ABOUT TEEN-AGERS.