Thank You God for Mothers

Introduction

We gather each Sunday to first and foremost honor and praise God. We gather to also to encourage one another and be edified by praying and singing hymns and spiritual songs uplifting each other. But a third reason we gather today is to honor our mothers.

Last week we started a series beginning a season of gratitude. A season of being thankful to God. We said that we will gather in Spirit in the throne room of God and give Him thanks for all the blessings He has given us. One of those blessings is great mothers!

Every year we on the second Sunday in May we celebrate Mother’s Day in America. We thank God for good godly mothers! There are few things more powerful than faithful godly mothers! There are few things more wonderful than a mother’s love.

We all feel special because of our mother’s love. Now, we do relate to our mothers differently at different age groups:

Age 4 - My mom can do anything

Age 12 - Mom doesn’t know everything

Age 14 - Mom doesn’t know anything

Age 18 - Mom is so out of step with the times

Age 25 - Well, Mom might know a few things

Age 35 - Before we decide, let’s get Mom’s opinion

Age 45 - I wonder what my Mom would say about this

Age 65 - I wish I could talk to my mom just one more time

Some of you may be having that feeling this morning. You miss your mother because she is no longer here on this earth. As we grow we learn to appreciate our mothers more. As we grow we learn what great work it takes and what sacrifice is given to be a mother.

In fact, we all find ourselves in different places emotionally on this Mother’s Day.

Some are mothers, maybe even some for the first time, and there is great excitement and happiness in this day to honor you

Some have lost mothers, some even recently, and you find joy in remembering your mother, but there is pain and hurt in your loss

Some have dreamed of being a mother, but infertility or having no companion has turned those dreams into nightmares

Some had mothers who were hurtful, mean, and frankly they give you a bad taste in your mouth just thinking about them

Some have mothers who live far away and you see very little

Some have mothers who you see everyday, maybe you are sitting next to them now

No matter where you are, I believe we can all benefit from this lesson and we can be joyful in our praise and thanks on this Lord’s Day because ultimately the lessons we learn about good godly mothers are lessons we all must have to be good godly people.

1 Samuel 1

This morning we are in 1 Samuel chapter 1. Now, 1 & 2 Samuel in the Hebrew Bible is one big book about three men. Samuel the prophet, Saul the first king of Israel, and David the man after God’s own heart, but the book begins with a woman.

This woman is infertile, but eventually has a son named Samuel who becomes this prophet. Many of God’s great works of deliverance and liberation are carried out by men, but all begin with a woman:

Israel’s deliverance from Egypt began with a woman named Jochebed, the mother of Moses, who had the faith to put that basket in the river

It was a woman named Rahab who helped the spies when Israel was entering the promised land

The story of the line of King David began with a woman named Ruth

The miraculous preservation of the Jews in Persia was the story of a woman named Esther

It was a woman who house Elisha, God’s prophet, when he needed solace and rest

The story of our Savior begins with a young virgin woman named Mary who is visited by God

And it was women who first saw Jesus on that great resurrection Sunday when He told them to have the disciples meet Him at Galilee

In 1 Samuel chapter 1, I would like to show you four attributes of great mother’s for which we can Thank God for every day!

Thank You God for Mothers who Overcome

1 Samuel 1:1-2 - We thank God for mother’s who overcome great problems. We all go through great problems in our everyday life. Many of you are no strangers to life’s trials and tribulations. In this story today, we see Hannah, a great mother, go through and overcome some very difficult problems.

Sometimes we see Bible characters in a fantasy or comic book sort of way. But, these people are real people with real problems that we can relate to. And this can help us to overcome our great problems. Look here in verses 1-2.

1 Samuel 1:1–2 ESV

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.

There is a lot of emotion in this verse. Hannah had no children. It was the hope of every Jewish couple to have children. It was seen as a blessing from the Lord. The idea is that you live on through your kids. It is your legacy.

Back in these days they thought that the more kids you have the better.

Psalm 127:3–5 ESV

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Actually, childlessness was seen as an affliction or curse from God. Look at verse 11

1 Samuel 1:11 ESV

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.”

Notice how she talks about her infertility. It is an affliction. This is the same word Jacob’s wives, Leah and Rachel, uses in Genesis to describe child bearing. In the Jewish faith there were teachings that being childless would be detestable to God, and this was actually grounds for divorce. Either divorce, or the husband could marry a second wife to give him children.

So, infertility is a problem, but she has another problem. She has a rival, Peninnah. Look at verse 3-7:

1 Samuel 1:3–7 ESV

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. 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.

Did you notice it? Peninnah, her rival, would provoke her because of her infertility.

This is a common problem we still see today. Infertility affects 15% of the world’s population! That’s 48.5 million couples! They have gone to the doctor, they have prayed, they have hoped, and yet no child. What that means is every Mother’s Day is not a happy day for them.

They want it so badly, but they can’t have a child. I want you to know that I don’t know why some can have children and others cannot. I don’t know why there are so man teenagers able to so easily have children and you cannot. I don’t know why there are so many women who are unfit to be mothers who have children so easily and you cannot. But I do know this: Your value to God is not based on your ability to reproduce! God loves you because you are made in His image, and you are of great value to Him whether you can produce a child or not. And you are not alone! You are in a long list of women of faith who were infertile:

Sarah (Abraham’s wife), Rebekah (Isaac’s wife), Rachel (Jacob’s wife), Ruth in her first marriage, Elizabeth (John the Baptist mother).

Having children does not make you godlier. It does not mean you are cursed. Maybe it means that God will bless you and use you in other ways.

First off, God may be preparing you still for a future of children.

Second, God may be preparing you to be foster or adoptive parents. This is something that is needed more than we know or would like to admit.

Three, God may want you available for a special work that having children would keep you from doing.

Regardless, I honor all those mothers out there who overcome great struggles. I thank God for you. And I thank God for the mothers who don’t know they are mothers. Maybe you are a foster mom, adoptive mom, or maybe you are motherly to children who without you would be lost. Whatever your situation, I thank God for great mothers, and great women, who overcome great struggles to care for and love the world the way you do!

So, this is the first attribute: Great Mother’s Overcome Great Struggles.

Thank You God for Mothers who Pray

The second attribute is that Great Mother’s Pray. Listen to Hannah’s prayer:

1 Samuel 1:9–16 ESV

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.” 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.”

Hannah pours out her heart out to God! Her tears combined with her heartfelt prayer to God! She never complains to her husband, and she never fights back with her rival, Peninnah. Instead, she takes her fears, pain, and sorrow and pours it out before the Lord. Now, notice a few things about Hannah’s prayer:

Notice what she calls God in verse 11: LORD OF HOSTS - This literally means Commander of Heaven’s Armies. She is appealing to God’s authority and sovereignty and power.

Also, notice in verse 12 she is continually praying. This is an ongoing plea, a continual petition before God.

Now, notice verse 17 - 18:

1 Samuel 1:17–18 ESV

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.

Notice Eli’s response. He doesn’t promise anything, but he hopes for God’s granting of this request. With this in mind what is most interesting is Hannah’s response. She goes in sad and comes out glad. After leaving her time of prayer she has peace from God! Here is a woman who has a real relationship with God!

She doesn’t just go through the motions. She doesn’t just show up on Mother’s Day to hear some good words about her. No, she has a real relationship, a working relationship, praying relationship!

Abraham Lincoln said, “No one is poor who has a godly mother. I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me, they have clung to me all my life.”

I thank God for praying mothers!

Thank You God for Mother’s who have Righteous Priorities

Now, Elkanah doesn’t always respond to Hannah in a positive way:

1 Samuel 1:8 ESV

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?”

But there are other times when Elkanah does right by Hannah.

1 Samuel 1:4 ESV

On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.

Elkanah gives Hannah a double portion because he loves her! There is great love between Elkanah and Hannah. Honoring someone means giving more.

This couple understands each other, and they have righteous priorities. Love for God means the husband and wife love each other. Every strong and lasting marriage involves three persons: the husband, wife, and God.

Great mothers, and fathers, have righteous priorities, and we see three righteous priorities in Hannah here:

Now, Hannah has shown us her great priority to God through her prayer.

But Hannah also has a great priority to her husband and Elkanah shows his priority toward Hannah through his love for her. I believe the greatest gift you can give our children is to show them what it means to love your spouse through good times and the bad. Teach them what it means to have a godly marriage, to have godly or righteous priorities. Love God and love your spouse in front of your kids.

Hannah shows righteous priority toward God, husband, and family.

In her prayer (verse 11) she promises that she will give her son back to God for how long? ALL the days of his life. She promises even a Nazarite vow for her son. Also, notice verse 19ff:

1 Samuel 1:19–23 ESV

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.” The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.” Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.

Now, notice a few things here. Hannah has a child and names him Samuel which means “God hears” meaning God listened and answered this prayer.

Hannah did not go to offer to the Lord because she was offering to the Lord through her mothering! In these days, a weaning was several years (5-7 or more). A child is weaned for a long time, but the idea of weaning was not just physical nurture or breastfeeding.

The word literally means to “Deal Fully With” and it has the idea of both physical and spiritual training or nurturing.

Hannah was dedicated to raising her child physically, but also spiritually for the Lord. Her mindset was that it is her priority to raise her child in the Lord! Hannah sacrificed much to make sure her child had the raising she promised. At all costs she was going to raise that child right.

Great mothers make it a priority to raise their children both physically and spiritually. It is a righteous priority!

I thank God for great mothers who overcome, great mothers who pray, and great mothers who have righteous priorities. But also for great mothers who promise and plan.

Thank You God for Mothers who Promise and Plan

Look at verse 24ff:

1 Samuel 1:24–28 ESV

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.

This is what Hannah promised and planned she would do if the Lord gave her a son. She says she lent him from the Lord. She shows us that children are not ours to keep, but they are loaned to us to love and teach us love, and we are to give them back to the Lord.

Hannah made a vow to give her son to God. Hannah realizes that nothing we have is really ours anyway. We are just stewards of everything we have. This includes our children. God gives us children to pour into them and then send them into the world as faithful Christ followers.

I thank God for great mothers who promise their lives to God and plan to teach Christ following to their children!

I have often said that I would not be here if it weren’t for great mothers in my life.

When we visited my family in Georgia not long ago I taught a lesson to my extended family titled “We have a seat at the table.” I used the example of grandma who is so loving and inviting. She always has a seat at her table. Still to this day when I visit I see her reading her Our Daily Bread booklet, I still see her reading her Bible each day, and I still remember her giving me the best gift I have ever received: the Bible that belonged to granddaddy.

Then there is my Nana, who the worst word she ever uttered was bologna. She found so much joy in loving other people, in teaching us, in talking to friends and family, in being a mother. Some of the very last conversations I ever had with her was here strong encouragement to me to use the talents God has given me to become a gospel preacher.

There is my mother-in-law who I pray for everyday. Some people down south think she is rough around the edges, but it’s just the New Jersey in here. Actually, she is one of the most loyal and caring people I know. She is the hardest working person I know. I pray for her to give her life to Christ every day.

There is my sister who I watch raise her children with the love of the Lord in her heart. She reads her Bible and marks it up all the time just trying to know God better. I love to see her take great pride in showing how her young toddler son loved Jesus already.

There is my mother. We had quite a scare with her just a few weeks ago, and when I went to be with her during her surgery it was the first time in my life I have ever seen her wimper in pain. She is easily and always the strongest person in the room. I love my dad and my siblings, but I don’t think anyone would disagree when I say that the most faithful teacher in our family is my mother. I love her with all my heart.

And my wife. The mother of my child. I have no words to express my pride in her. Many are astonished when I say she has only been a Christian for 4.5 years. I remember the night she decided she wanted to get baptized. She asked me why I waited so long to tell her the truth. I still regret waiting so long. I also remember the day we found out she was pregnant. I remember the look in her eye and I could just see that she was going to give this sweet child to the Lord. My greatest memory to date was coming home one Sunday afternoon about a year ago to find Laurel randomly talking about Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. I asked her how she learned who those people were, and she told me, “Mommy taught me!”

I am sure many of you have similar stories of how your Mommies have taught you. I hope today you will share those stories with each other and with your mothers. I hope we all humbly realize the amount of gratitude we should have toward God for great mothers.

I thank God for mothers who overcome all of life’s problems. I thank God for mothers who pray often. I thank God for mothers who have righteous and holy priorities. I thank God for mothers who promise and plan. I hope you thank God today. I hope you thank God for mothers as you utter those innocent yet true words:

Thank you God because Mommy Taught Me!