Motherhood: The toughest job you'll ever love

Text: I Samuel 1:19-28

Theme: The toughest job a mom has is letting go of her children and putting them in the hands of the Lord.

Date: 05/12/2025 Title: MomDay.wpd

Place Preached: First Baptist Church, Iberia

Adrian Rogers once told the story of a young preacher attending a revival of a nationally known evangelist. He was shocked to hear the evangelist utter these words, “I must confess ... I have spent some of the happiest moments of my life in the arms of another man’s wife. Yes, I have spent some of the happiest moments of my life in the arms of another woman.” Then, following a long dramatic pause, the evangelist smiled and said, “That woman was my mother.”

The young preacher thought to himself, “I’ve got to use that some time.” A few weeks later, the young man was invited to supply preach at a large church in his community. What a perfect occasion to use the story, he thought. The day arrived. After a few introductory remarks, the preacher began his story, “I have spent some of the happiest days of my life in the arms of another man’s wife,” he said. “Yes, some of my best days have been spent with another woman.” Then, after a long, long pause, the preacher dropped his head and muttered meekly, “But for the life of me, I can’t remember who she was.”

Now here’s a story you don’t want to forget the punch-line to!

There is absolutely no doubt that mothers have a powerful influence on our lives. Indeed, families are the crucible in which our character is initially formed. I like what Churck Swindoll says about the family: “Whatever else may be said about the home, it is the bottom line of life, the anil upon which attitudes and convictions are hammered out. It is the place where life’s bills come due, the single most influential force in our earthly existence.” I agree.

Today is Mother’s Day, and it behooves us to consider the topic of motherhood. It is one of the toughest jobs in the world, but at the same time, perhaps, the most rewarding job in the world.

This morning I want us to look at one of the most famous mothers in the Old Testament. Her name is Hanna, and she teaches us about one of the hardest things a mom will ever have to do.

I. MOMS HAVE A LOT OF THOUGH JOBS

1. when I think of moms, I am reminded of the slogan of the Peace Corps: "It's the

toughest job you'll ever love."

ILLUS. Comedian Bill Cosby, speaking of motherhood after watching his wife raise their

children, says, "I've seen the job—and I don't want it!"

2. moms have a tough job!

A. WORRYING ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN IS A TOUGH JOB

1. from the day we’re born until the day you die mothers worry about their kids

a. when we're babies you fret when we have the slightest sniffle, cough or sneeze

b. when we're toddlers you worry about all the things we can get at, fall over or

crash into and you busily chase us around all day

c. when we're young children you worry about our nutrition and make us eat yucky

things like Brussels Sprouts, spinach and turnips

d. when we get to grade school you worry if we're making friends or not, and if we are

making friends, you worry about who those kids are, and you worry if we're eating the things you've packed in our lunch bag or weather-of-not we’re trading our apple for Twinkies

e. when we're teenagers you begin to worry big time

1) you worry about the drug and alcohol scene

2) you worry about our emerging sexuality

3) you worry about our social media contacts and posts

4) when we begin to drive you go into a mild panic, and the first time we're twenty

minutes late your ready to call out the National Guard

f. when we're adults you worry about our career choices and indebtedness

g. when we're parents you worry about how we are raising your grandchildren!

2. Worrying Is a Tough Job for Moms, but its Not the Toughest Job

B. MOLDING YOUR CHILDREN INTO GOOD CITIZENS IS A TOUGH JOB

ILLUS. Franklin Roosevelt, while he was governor of New York, said, "The first requisite of a good citizen in this Republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight."

1. good citizens seem hard to come by these days

ILLUS. About a decade ago (2009) an Armored Truck, after picking up business deposits

for most of the day, hit a large pothole on it’s way back to company headquarters. It’s back doors flew open, and bags of cash containing $2 million fell out onto a busy street in downtown Indianapolis. A passing car hit one of the bags, and money started flying everywhere. That prompted a dash for cash, with people grabbing as much money as they could cram into pockets. But one couple decided to guard several bags untill police arrived. Tim Wentworth and his wife dragged three large bundles to the curb, called 911 and guarded them until the police arrived.

a. here were two good citizens!

b. don't you know that somewhere there are two mothers telling friends and neighbors, “That’s my child!” ?

2. in a "ME-oriented" society, it's tough to raise a child who thinks of others first

a in a thoroughly materialistic society, it's tough to raise a child who places principle

over pleasure or profit

4. Molding Children into Model Citizens Is a Tough Job for Moms, but It's Not the

Toughest

C. RAISING YOUR CHILDREN TO BE CHRIST-HONORING, CHURCH-GOING CHRISTIANS IS A TOUGH JOB

1. in a secular society that pulls and tugs at your children's affections and loyalties,

it's tough to raise your children to love, honor and obey God

a. and let's be honest, it's even tougher if your husband is not a Christian or is a

Christian, but uninterested in spiritual things

b. the world, the flesh, and the devil do not give up easily on your children

1) your kids are in a battle for the loyalty of their hearts and minds and you’ve got to

help them win that battle

ILLUS. If you’ve never done so, you need to read about the life of Susannah Wesley. She was an 18th century pastor’s wife in England. She raised seventeen children. She spent one hour each day praying for them. In addition, she took each child aside for a full hour every week to discuss spiritual matters. No wonder two of her sons, Charles and John, were used of God to bring blessing to all of England and much of America. She followed six rules in providing spiritual training to her children: "

1) Subdue self-will in a child and thus work together with God to save his soul.

2) Teach him to pray as soon as he can speak.

3) Give him nothing he cries for and only what is good for him if he asks for it

politely.

4) To prevent lying, punish no fault which is freely confessed, but never allow a

rebellious, sinful act to go unnoticed.

5) Commend and reward good behavior.

6) Strictly observe all promises you have made to your child."

c. if you live Christ in front of your children, Christ will be important to them

d. if commitment to the church is important to you than it will be important to your

children

2. Raising Your Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord Is a Tough Job for

Moms, But It's Not the Toughest

II. MOMS TOUGHEST JOB—LETTING HER CHILDREN GO AND GIVING THEM OVER TO THE LORD

1. let me explain what I mean by that

a. as children mature, and advance in school parents are confronted with the reality of

their child growing up

1) mothers especially are suddenly faced with letting go of that parental attachment

you’ve held from birth

b. this notion of "letting go" can create levels of anxiety most parents have not

prepared for

1) when the time comes, it is much easier said than done to break the mother-child

connection and begin the establishment of a child's autonomy and independence

2) more than any other book, the Bible helps us do that through some of the great

examples of Biblical motherhood

2. your children have a right to their own life

a. as your child grows you must relinquish more and more control to them as they

prepare for adulthood

c. not doing so invites disastrous results

ILLUS. As a young child, Victoria, the future queen of England, was totally

dominated by her mother, the Duchess of Kent. The Duchess clearly had ambitions to be the power behind the scene once Victoria ascended the throne. Victoria was never out of her mother’s or her governess’s sight. She was made to sleep in her mother's room. She was never allowed to talk to anyone except in the presence of her German governess or the Duchess. Every aspect of her life was controlled by her mother. The Duchess of Kent, was, to say the least, a domineering mother!

On the day that King William IV died and Victoria ascended the throne, the Duchess of Kent came to Victoria after all the state dignitaries had departed and inquired if there was anything she could do for her daughter—now the most powerful monarch in the world. Queen Victoria's icy reply to her mother was, "I wish for you to leave me alone."

Their relationship was seriously strained for many, many years.

3. it is tempting to assume that our children are ours to raise how we please and do with

what we want

a. the problem is that is not a Biblical viewpoint!

A. HANNAH WAS A MOTHER WHO KNEW THAT HER CHILD BELONGED TO GOD

1. according to our text Hannah was barren—she had been unable to give her husband

any children

a. this greatly distressed her

2. so Hannah began to pray earnestly to the Lord

a. in her prayers she vowed to give her child to the Lord for Godly service if He would

bless her with a son

“And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” (1 Samuel 1:11, NIV84)

b. God heard her prayers, and she gave birth to a son

c. she named him Samuel which mean Heard of God

3. when Samuel was three, Hannah did the hardest thing she probably ever had to do in

her life

a. she kept her promise to God and took her young son to the Lord's House at Shiloh,

dedicated him to God and give him to the Prophet Eli to raise

1) now I don’t think this passage is telling us that you should give your child to the

church when they turn three! (even though there were days when you were

probably tempted)

b. but Hannah’s story does give parents—particularly mothers—a pattern for Godly

motherhood

B. FOUR LESSONS HANNA PROVIDES A PATTERN FOR GODLY MOTHERHOOD

1. 1st, Godly Mothers Recognize That Children Are God's Gift

a. Hannah recognized this v 27

“For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him.” (1 Samuel 1:27, ESV)

b. the Psalmist confirms this viewpoint

“Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.” (Psalm 127:3,

NIV84)

c. upon reading that passage a mother’s initial thought might be, "Then let God pay

the grocery bill and keep them in shoes!"

1) the Biblical truth is a profound one and one which our society has forgotten

2) men and women may come together in the act of lovemaking, but it is still God

who has priority over the creation of life

“Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” (Genesis 4:1, NIV84)

2. 2nd, Godly Mothers Surrender Their Children to God Early in Life

a. you are first and foremost a steward of your child’s life

1) Hannah took her son to the Jewish center of worship, offered a sacrifice in

thanks to God and left him with the High Priest to be raised in God's service

b. surrendering your children to God means abandoning your rights to your child

1) it means that God's will for that child's life is more important than your will for that

child's life

ILLUS. Years ago when I was pastoring on the west side of the state, we had a

woman in the church who was overly involved in the lives of her grown children. Bertha could not give up her youngest daughter, and sought to control her life’s decisions. Darlene had felt God's call to missions. Ultimately, she would spend two years in Taiwan through the SBC International Mission Board’s Jouryman’s program. But getting there was hell. Bertha opposed her daughter every step of the way. Her will for her Darlene's life was to get married, give her grandkids and never live more than ten miles away from home. This was not God's will for Darlene's life. God had bigger and better things in mind. Those two years were a great experience for Darlene

2) those two years were miserable for Bertha because she was unwilling to

surrender her children to God

c. can you imagine what would have happened if Hannah had reneged on her promise

to God?

1) what would have been the results if she had not let God do with Samuel as He

wanted?

2) the nation of Israel would have lost one of its greatest prophets and leaders and

the scope of biblical history may have been different

3) notice the Bible says that she gave her son to God "for his whole life"

d. God's hand is the best place to leave our children!

ILLUS. The toughest prayer a mother will ever pray is, “Lord, thank you for the

stewardship of this child. I will do my best to raise him or her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. But Father, this son of mine, this daughter of mine is yours; do with them as you will.”

3. 3rd, Godly Mothers Teach Their Children about God Early in Life

a. the last sentence of the chapter says, "And he worshiped the LORD there."

b. at a very early age Samuel's mother told him of her prayer, God's answer and her

commitment to give him to the Lord's service

1) Samuel grew up worshiping the Lord at Shiloh with Eli

4. 4th, Godly Mothers Rejoice When They See Their Children in the Center of God's Will

for Their Life

“Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is

lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. “There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away. “The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; upon them he has set the world. He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.” (1 Samuel 2:1–10, NIV84)

ILLUS. President Theodore Roosevelt said this about motherhood: “When all is said, it is the mother, and the mother only, who is a better citizen than the soldier who fights for his country. The successful mother, the mother who does her part in rearing and training aright the boys and girls, who are to be the men and women of the next generation, is of greater use to the community, and occupies, if she only would realize it, a more honorable as well as a more important position than any man in it. The mother is the one supreme asset of the national life. She is more important, by far, than the successful statesman, or businessman, or artist, or scientist."

Moms have lots of tough jobs. You worry about us—that's a tough job. You seek to mold us into good citizens with sound character—that's a tough job. You seek to influence us toward Christ—that's a tough job. But the toughest job you'll ever do is to abandon your rights to your children to God. But ultimately, that's the best place to leave them.