Hannah, The Story of a Mother’s Love

Scripture

1 Samuel 1:26–28 KJV 1900

And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

Mother’s Day has a very special place in the hearts of the majority of people in America.

Hallmark estimates that 150 million Mother’s Day cards will be sent this year (but only 95 million Father’s Day cards), making Mother’s Day the third largest greeting card holiday of the year.

U.S. Americans spend an average of $105 on Mother’s Day gifts, $90 on Father’s Day gifts.

The phone rings more often on Mother’s day than Father’s day.

The busiest day of the year at car washes? The Saturday before Mother’s Day. What mom thinks still matters.

Does Mom need a raise? Mother’s love is priceless, but the work she does costs plenty. If you outlined a job description and set a salary for the countless tasks, services and errands the average mom does for her family, you’d be talking big bucks.

(Illust)Mom and Dad were listening to the news on the radio when Mom said, "I’m tired, and it’s getting late. I think I’ll go to bed." She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day’s lunches. Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for brewing the next morning. She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes into the washer, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button. She picked up the game pieces left on the table and put the telephone book back into the drawer. She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel to dry.

She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip, and pulled a textbook out from hiding under the chair.

She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her purse.

Mom then washed her face, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails.

Dad called out, "I thought you were going to bed." I’m on my way," she said. She put some water into the dog’s dish and put the cat outside, then made sure the doors were locked. She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lamps, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework.

In the bedroom, she set the alarm; laid out clothing for the next day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her 6 most important things to do list. She said her prayers, and visualized the accomplishment of her goals.

About that time, Dad turned off the radio and announced to no one in particular. "I’m going to bed." And he did...without another thought.

Looking at the mother of Samuel; her name was Hannah, from the Hebrew word meaning grace, or favor, was the preferred wife of Elkanah, a Levite from Ramah in Ephraim. What a wonderful mother she was. As we look at her, I pray that you'll identify with this woman who, because she knew how to pray, received a son from God. This son became one of Israel's greatest leaders, a man of God who preached all over the land and called the nation back to God.

''And she said, 'Oh my Lord, as thy soul liveth, my Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed''' (1 Samuel 1:26-27a).

I want you to notice those words, ''For this child I prayed.'' This is the heart, the soul, the most inward thoughts of a mother. ''For this child I prayed.''

I know that mothers can think about your children, and each of them one by one, and you can think, ''For this child I prayed.'' Maybe you prayed for them before they were born, as Hannah did. Maybe you prayed for them after they were born. Maybe you're praying for them for some special need in their life. They may be away from God; they may even be in prison; they may be out there breaking your heart. They may have turned against the values and principles that you taught them when they were young, but as a mother you're still praying.

There's nothing like the power, the influence, of the prayers of a godly mother. So keep on praying, Mother. Don't give up. Keep on praying.

As I think of Godly mothers many things come to mind.

1.Praying

2.Caring Mom

3.Giving Mom

These are just three of many we could look at. Timothy’s Mom and grandmother are highly spoken of by Paul as far as Timothy’s faith. Could this be said of Us?

Looking at Hannah, we will see a godly mother and I trust every mother will strive to be like these godly mothers.

Hannah was a woman who in that day her womb was barren, this was looked on as a curse. Hannah continued to prevail in prayer and without telling anyone, knowing God knows the heart, kept silent. Eli the priest thinking she was drunk, and Her husband knowing something was wrong begged her to eat and explaining his affection to her. Hannah never quit praying and when God answered her prayer she offered Samuel back to God. Mom, are you willing to give your children back to God. Maybe it will be them serving across the seas, in another state, a doctor, a teacher, a minister, or maybe in your backyard. The main thing is to give Your Children Back To God!

Hannah was godly before she was a mother. In fact, before she was a wife, she worshipped God. He was first in her life. Family responsibilities did not detract from her godliness. She prioritized and as a result, God’s will remained central for her.

Godliness begins and ends with putting God first in our lives. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” “These thing” don’t just refer to material needs but to success as a wife, mother, dad, husband, whatever. Who’s first in your life? If anyone or anything comes before God, we are guilty of a form of idolatry.

Hannah believed in prayer--open, honest communication with God. Look at verse 10: “In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much an prayed to the Lord.” Her prayer was earnest and sincere, and she linked herself to God by a difficult vow (vs11). Even when she was openly criticized and falsely accused by the priest on duty who mistook her deeply felt prayer for drunkenness, she didn’t become defensive. She was polite and vulnerable, but persuasive.

Hannah held a vital, personal, first-name basis of relationship with God. Nothing could move her away from that commitment.

Before she was a mother, she was a loving, obedient wife. She did this in difficult circumstances. How so? Well, she was not her husband’s only wife (1:2). And she had not yet been able to conceive (1:2). And as if this was not enough, she was criticized and ridiculed by her sister-wife (1:6).

But she refused to snitch even when her husband asked her the reason for her sadness (1:8). Instead, she forgave the other wife, committed herself in unselfish love to her husband Elkanah, and prayed to God. She poured out her grief before the Lord and not bitterness upon the others in her household.

Hannah joyfully relinquished Samuel to the Lord, and sang a powerful hymn of praise about her faith (2:1-10). Hannah gave her boy to the Lord--not to business, not to society, not even to her country. She gave him to God! Many great men and women of God are serving Christ today not because of their great talent or ability, but because they had a mother who gave them to God.

Hannah was given glorious fulfillment--5 more children (2:21).

She continued to minister in prayer and care for Samuel, seeing him every year with a new garment and assurance of her continual commitment.

Napoleon once said, “Let France have good mother and she will have good sons.” Today, more than ever, we need mothers of character, mothers who will nurture their children in the ways of God. The godly mother is the key to a godly home and a godly nation.

The Sunday school, children’s church and youth group will do what they can as they train our children. They will provide Christian nurture. But nothing can take the place of the home and the parents especially the mother who provide spiritual guidance.

Our prayer ought to be, “O God, give us more godly mothers--mothers who are committed--committed to You and their husbands and their children.”

Closings

Hannah was one of the most faithful mothers in all of the Bible.

It would do us all well if we would follow her example as parents.

I. Hannah was faithful in prayer.

a. Her prayers were specific.

b. Her prayers were sincere.

c. Her prayers were stedfast.

II. Hannah was faithful in practice.

Praying for our children in vitally important, but we must also model our faith before them.

a. She was faithful in attending the house of God.

It is important to note that she was faithful year, after year though God had not yet answered her prayers !

b. She was faithful in adhering to the law of God.

c. She was faithful in accompanying her husband.

III. Hannah was faithful in parenthood.

a. She cared for her child.

b. She carried her child.

c. She consecrated her child.

M-O-T-H-E-R

"M" is for the million things she gave me,

"O" means only that she’s growing old,

"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,

"H" is for her heart of purest gold;

"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,

"R" means right, and right she’ll always be,

Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"

A word that means the world to me.

~By Howard Johnson~