A Mother's Heart
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Today is Mother’s day
It is my wife’s first mother’s day with our child.
Being a mother is not easy
It is one of the hardest, most exhausting, most trying jobs in the world
No time off,
working with an individual that doesn’t understand basic manners, personal space, danger, the English language or the concept that they can hurt you
It is also one of the most important jobs in the world.
And one of the most rewarding
I want to look today at one of the mothers in the Bible, One who went through quite a bit.
Hannah
Hannah’s story is found in the First couple Chapters of 1st Samuel
There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.
So we are introduced to Elkanah and his family, Hannah and his other wife, Peninnah
Peninnah has kids, hannah does not
But Elkanah loves hannah more than Peninnah
This is a common pattern in the old testament, that Sometimes the wife that is loved has no childen and so the husband marries a second wife to have kids.
This happened to Abraham with Sarah and Hagar, and Jacob, with rachel and Leah
and now with Elkanah and Hannah and Peninnah
And of course not having children, being barren, is a sign of shame on women back in those days,
And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
Peninnah used to provoke and make fun of hannah becuase she had kids and Hannah didn’t, and she would rub it in her face when they were at the feast - probably passover - when they are essentially in public.
and Elkanah is no help.
After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”
Hannah plead with God, she prayed to God, begged Him, and she made a deal with God,
If you will give me a a son I will give him back to you.
No razor will touch his head
Like Samson.
THis is quite the oath! She is willing to give up her only child so long as she is allowed to bear a child.
As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
THis is the first time in the Bible where what the act of praying looks like, and Hannah looks drunk.
clearly this wasn’t the norm for praying,
She was so intent in here prayers that words failed her, and only her lips moved.
And the Priest is at first trying to tell her off, but when he learns that she is praying, he gives her a blessing, May God grant your prayer.
Church, sometimes its not the length or intensity of praying, or the sincerity of our prayer, or any attempts we make to try and bargain what God to get what we want, it is simply having others agree with us in prayer.
Now sincerity in prayer is good and important, and i’ve prayed intensely for things by myself and believe me that is an amazing experience that can draw you closer to God,
But Jesus told us not to heap up repetition and empty words when we pray,
and what is more, Jesus says in Matthew 18:19-20
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Church I do not think that it was Hannah’s begging that got God’s attention, nor the promise she made that made God decide to answer her prayer. I think part of it was her heart, and then the agreement of the PRiest saying, yes, Let it happen.
I think that there is power when we pray for other’s needs and desires, and not just our own.
They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”
God remembers Hannah, and he gives her a son. He answers her prayer.
And When Samuel is old enough, Hannah remembers her Promise to the the Lord.
And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
hannah gives up Samuel to the service of the lord, and he grows up as part of the priesthood.
this would have been extremely difficult, choosing to give up her only child at a young age.
this would have been heartbreaking but it was her promise to God,
and its not like she doesn’t see samuel ever again,
And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the Lord.” So then they would return to their home. Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.
This was the promise she made to God, and because she kept her promise, God blessed her beyond just Samuel
Eli would bless her and Elkanah, and she ended up having 5 more children.
But in the midst of all of this, while she is givign Samuel up with no promise of ever having more children, Hannah prays again, and this time it is a song of praise:
And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world. “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
This prayer is a song of praise to a God who brings balance, exalting the humble, tearing down the proud.
it speaks of the blessings that await those who have hard lives, because God will overcoming their suffering - and looks to an anointed one - the word here in Messiah.
Her Son Samuel will go on to anoint the First Kings of Israel, including David the ancestor of Jesus, the ultimate anointed one
hannah could have been angry at God for taking her son away, she could have tried to keep Samuel for herself, she could have chosen to break her promise which she made in distress.
but she instead honored her promise, and chose to worship the Lord instead
And God uses her son to bless the whole world
and blesses her with more children
Church, one of the most important things a mother can do is teach their children to worship the Lord, even when things are not easy.
What can we learn from hannah?
First for the Mothers, Pray for your children, never underestimate the prayers of a mother.
For everyone else, Pray for the needs of others, agree with them in prayer, because that is when God answers prayers.
For mothers, Raise your Children to worship the Lord, and lead by example, so that they may follow God.
For everyone, keep your promises, no matter how difficult, because by keeping promises God will bless you more
