“A MOTHER’S HEART” By Pastor YAU

1 Samuel 1:1-11 May 9, 2004

INTRODUCTION:

Most people would agree with me that the celebration of MOTHER’S DAY is always far more elaborated and joyful than that of the FATHER’S DAY a few weeks later. I believe this is true, in part, because mothers DO love, care and sacrifice more for children than fathers do, in most cases. The Scripture reference quoted is the story of the mother of the great prophet Samuel. Hannah had set the standard for all mothers in history to learn how to be mothers that kids will grow up good and right.

HER DESIRE TO BE A MOTHER: (1:10-11)

While I have no objection to those who want to be married but don’t want to have children, I do believe the experience of having children, from pregnancy to raising that little one at birth to adolescent to teenager. From giving bottles to giving guidance and discipline, encouragements and punishments, just list a few, are never an easy road, but are always one of the most, if not the most, rewarding experience of being human. Those who choose not to have children, never will understand those who have, the joy and the pain that come with the package of parenting. Hannah’s desire to be a mother is so noble and so daring. She had no fear of the future. All she had was looking forward to that day.

Anyone who is a parent will tell you it is never easy and all problem-free in parenting. But through those ups and downs, parents learn to grow them selves and to gain wisdom and guidance by walking closely with the Lord in bringing up their children.

HER ACKNOWLEGMENTS TO GOD: (1:19-20)

After the first few years being a mother, Hannah brought little Samuel back to see Eli, the aging priest. She recalled the event when she was full of bitterness in her soul because of her barren condition. She told Eli how the Lord had heard her prayers and gave her this boy. She reaffirmed that this boy was a gift of the Lord on her.

Acknowledging that children are gifts of the Lord was quoted in Psalm 127:3 by King David. This acknowledgment helps parents to surrender their sense of ownership of their children. God is the ALL and ONLY true owner of everything, including our children. We are only temporary guardians of God’s trust for the length God allows us to have. We may do our best to make sure our children will do right and grow up good. But the ultimate control is in the hands of God. Someone said that when God places children in our hands, He contracts with us a “limited warranty.” Limit in the sense of length of time as well as degrees of success.

HER GODLY FAMILY BACKGROUND: (1:3, 21-22, 27-28)

Hannah and her husband were godly people. They went up to Shiloh to worship God and to give sacrifices before the building of the Temple in Jerusalem. This godly tradition helped the up bringing of Samuel to later become a great prophet is the history of Israel.

Too many parents, including some Christian parents, invest so much energy, time, money and heart, in the pursuit of academic achievements of their children at the expense of their moral and spiritual growth. Many of these children do achieve lots in the world, but little in the Kingdom of God. Many years later, the Apostle Paul praised the efforts of spiritual nourishment both Lois and Eunice had in the life of Timothy, the close companion of Paul. Raising a godly generation is the duty that falls on the shoulders of Christian parents.

HER SACRIFICE AND HER REWARDS: (2:18-22)

I don’t really know how many of us will do what Hannah did: giving God her only son. As a mother, like all mothers, she must have so many dreams, plans and hopes in her child. But at the end, she surrendered all her hopes and dreams on Samuel as she brought him to the temple and left him there to serve God. No one can imagine how she might feel on the way home from Shiloh and how she spent those lonely nights without her son sleeping beside her. To many, that’s too much a sacrifice. Yet she did just that.

God never wants to take anything important from us without giving us something far better. God replaced a son with three more sons and two daughters, and that is a 500 percent dividend paid in full to Hannah. No one needs to worry that he has given God too much. He knows how much we have sacrificed for Him, and He always has much more in store to replenish our sacrifices.

ONCLUSION:

So, what is a mother’s heart? How could a mother know that her child will grow up right and good? Where may she find comfort and wisdom in raising her children when things seem getting out of control? It all comes back to our relationship with the Lord. He is our ultimate refuge and comfort zone when we are confused of our duties of being parents. In Him, the resource is always beyond measure.