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HANNAH: A WELL BALANCED MOTHER

INTRODUCTION

Hannah is a good example of a woman who took a bad situation and made it into a great blessing both to her and her people.

Samuel became the last Judge of Israel and a great prophet of God and led Israel for many years. The nation of Israel prospered greatly because of his leadership.

But I want you to see that part of the reason that Samuel became a great prophet is because Hannah was a great mother!

What was it that made Hannah a great mother?

I.         HANNAH HAD A DESIRE FOR CHILDREN! (VS 11)

            A.        There Was Among The Jewish Wives A Universal Longing For, And Joy In, The Giving Of Birth To Children!

                        1.         That Longing Is Expressed In Other Places In Scripture:

                                    a.         In Genesis 18:12, the Scripture says that the childless Sarah

“. . . .laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

b.In Genesis 30:1, Rachel said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die.”

                        2.         For A Hebrew Woman To Be Childless Was Considered One Of The Greatest Of All Curses From God.

                                    a.         In Genesis 1:28, the Lord had originally said to Adam and Eve, “Be fruitful and multiply.”

                                    b.         In Genesis 13:16, the promise to Abraham was, “I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth.”

                                    c.         In Deuteronomy 28:4, the law of God taught that children were a sign of God’s blessing: “Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body.”

                                    d.         In Psalm 128:3, the Psalmist pictured a man blessed of the Lord and says of him, “Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house.”

                                    e.         In verse 6 of our text, it says that Hannah’s barrenness was “because the Lord had shut up her womb.”

                                    f.         In the New Testament in Luke 1:25 we are told of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth who had a miraculous birth. To have a child after being barren for so long, as was the case in Elizabeth, meant that the Lord had taken away her reproach among men.

            B.        Where Is The Desire For Children Today?

We live in a society today where there are many women to whom the very idea of having children is thought to be a curse.

                        But what does the Bible say?

Psalm 127:3–“Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.”

But look at how much both our society and the world in general has become against women having children.

                        1.         There Is Planned Parenthood.

                                    “Planned Parenthood” is a misnomer.

It should be called “Planned Pregnancy Prevention & Termination”

                                    Or better yet. “Planned Murder.”

                                    a.         They have become advocates for forced birth control.

                                    b.         They are deeply involved in the nearly 1.5 million abortions that take place annually in the United States alone.

The population of the U.S. is growing older as a result of abortion.

                        2.         Our Girls And Young Women Are Being Taught By Both Hollywood And The Educators Of This World To Not Let Motherhood Get In The Way Of Their Career Or Their Life!

They speak of the unborn child as if it is just a lifeless mass or a cancer inside the body.

                        3.         Today, Mothers Are Abandoning Their Children In Many Ways!

                                    a.         Some Are Abandoning Children Prior To Birth–Abortion.

It not just a fetus, it is a child! The Bible says of Mary’s pregnancy with Jesus that “. . .she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”

A mother wanting to abort a child is not natural! Not only is it not natural, but it is also an act of selfishness!

Listen to Paul describe the last days to the young preacher Timothy: 2 Timothy 3:1-3--This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, . . .3Without natural affection,. . .lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;”

A professor at the UCLA Medical School asked his students this question: “Here is the family history: The father has syphilis. The mother has TB. They already have had four children. The first is blind. The second has died. The third is deaf. And the fourth has TB.

The mother is pregnant. The parents are willing to have an abortion if you decide they should. What do you think?”

                                                Most of the students decided on an abortion.

“Congratulations,” said the professor, “you have just murdered Beethoven.”

                                                Abortion is playing God with life and death–

                                                            It is murder!

                                                            It is wrong!

                                    b.        Some Are Abandoning Children Physically After Birth.

                                                How many times do we hear of children being abandoned?

                                    c.         Some Are Abandoning Children Practically After Birth.

                                                1.         By Giving Them Over To Someone Else To Raise.

                                                            Because they don’t want to be tied down.

                                                2.         By Giving Them Over To The World.

                                                            a.         What will come to those raised by Televison or Video Games.

                                                                        Did you see the recent newspaper article that said

                                                                        that too much TV causes Attention Deficit Disorder.

I didn’t have a problem with Attention Deficit Disorder.

When I was in Disorder, My Dad would take care of that Deficit by giving me the proper Attention that was needed!

                                                            b.        What will come to those running with the wrong crowd.

The wrong influence has a corrupting effect on children!

            C.        Women and Moms, What Is Your Attitude Toward Children?

                        1.         Do You See Children As A Gift From God?

                        2.         Or Do You See Children As A Hindrance To Your Selfish Desires?

                                    a.         A Mother’s Desire For A Career Can Be A Hindrance To Her Motherhood.

                                    b.        A Mother’s Desire For Freedom Can Be A Hindrance To Her Motherhood.

            HANNAH HAD A DESIRE FOR CHILDREN!

II.       HANNAH ACKNOWLEDGED GOD AS LORD OF HER LIFE! (VS 11)

            A.        We would have a totally different generation of children if every mother would do what Hannah did here!

            B.        Hannah acknowledged that she was helpless without God!

            C.        Let me ask you, who or what is Lord of your life?

                        Don’t be too quick to answer that!

                        Luke 6:46–“And why call ye me Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say?”

                        I’ll tell you how you can tell who is Lord of your life:

                        Look at whoever or whatever you are following! (Selfish desires, pleasure,etc.)

                        It is whoever or whatever you are looking to for fulfillment in your life.

III.      HANNAH GAVE HER CHILD TO GOD BEFORE GOD GAVE THE CHILD TO HER! (VS 11)

            A.        Hannah Vowed A Vow To God.

                        We need more parents vowing to raise their children for God’s purpose.

Dedicating our children to the Lord is not only a good thing to do, it is the right thing to do!

            B.        Hannah Kept Her Vows To God.

                        1.         She Kept Her Vows Of Marriage.

                                    She did this even though she had a troubled marriage.

                        2.         She Kept Her Vows Of Dedication. (Vs 24-28)

We might say, even though she loved Samuel, she kept her vow of dedication.

But what we should say is, because she loved Samuel, she kept her vow of dedication.

IV.      HANNAH WAS A WOMAN OF FAITH– SHE HAD FAITH IN GOD. (VS 17-19)

            A.        She Took Her Request To God!–A Woman Of Prayer!

            B.        She Left Her Burden With The Lord!–A Woman Of Faith! 

            Even Samuel’s name depicted Hannah’s faith. Look at vs 20, it means “asked of God.”

            Mom, where is your faith? Is your faith evident by your actions?

What a blessing it must have been in Samuel’s life to grow up knowing his mother was a mother of faith.

            Mom’s (and Dad’s), what do your children know of your faith? Is it evident to them?

V.        HANNAH FULFILLED HER RESPONSIBILITY AS A MOTHER.

            (VS 21-22, 2:19)

Hannah saw her primary responsibility as a mother was to bring her child Samuel to the point where he could be used by God.

            She prepared him for God’s service!

            Many mothers today have misplaced priorities!

A nicer home, a newer car, and things that money can buy that are wants rather than necessities many times take priorities over the children.

            Being wrapped up in self causes many to neglect their responsibilities as mothers.

            Where are your priorities mom?

CONCLUSION

Mothers, let me ask you a question. Are you a well-balanced mother? Are you like Hannah?

1.         Hannah Had A Desire For Children.

2.         Hannah Acknowledged God As Lord Of Her Life

3.         Hannah Gave Her Child To God Before God Gave The Child To Her.

4.         Hannah Was A Woman Of Faith–She Had Faith In God.

5.         Hannah Fulfilled Her Responsibility As A Mother.

Some of us here today are obviously not mothers– I’m not!

What is in this message for us? It’s found in the result of what we see in Samuel’s life!

            1.         God had a will in Samuel’s life!

            2.         Samuel honored his father and mother in doing the will of God for his life!

            3.         Samuel had the blessings of God on his life because he did the will of God!

God has a will for each of us!

We honor God, our fathers and our mothers when we do the will of God for our lives!

We receive the blessings of God in our life by doing the will of God for our life!

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!