Transcript
Speaker: Welcome to Growing in Grace with Pastor Victor Morrison. This is a ministry of First Baptist Church located at 1700 Milam Street, Columbus, Texas. We are praying that God will bless you as you listen to this message.
Speaker: If you would like additional information on worship times and ministries at FBC Columbus, you can find out more at our website, fbccolumbustx.org. And now, take your copy of God's timeless Word as Pastor Victor gives today's message.
Speaker: Welcome to Growing in Grace. I'm Pastor Victor Morrison. I have the joy and the privilege of serving at First Baptist Church in Columbus, Texas. I would like to share a word to our mothers. Mother's Day.
Speaker: You know, I love Mother's Day. How would you define motherhood? One simple way to define it could be leaving a legacy of love upon one's children.
Speaker: Mother's Day is our appreciation to our mother for their legacy of love. We express our heartfelt thanks for their devotion to the family, their many sacrifices on our behalf, the hard work, the love that they've invested in and in our children, in the home,
Speaker: One, um on a personal level, I would say that we also convey to them our respect at Mother's Day and we express our appreciation for the excellence of their example and the stability of their character, the depth of their unconditional love. And I want to and want to be clear, i don't know of any flawless mothers.
Speaker: However, I would say that ah we also don't live in a perfect world, do we? You know, this is why the review of biblical mothers like Hannah, the mother of Samuel the prophet in the Old Testament, can be so meaningful.
Speaker: I believe that these biblical women charted the way for godly women living in a broken world to leave behind a glimpse of God in the hearts of their children.
Speaker: Today, I want us to look at 1 Samuel, some verses in chapter one, some verses in chapter two. I think that this passage describes Hannah's world as quite different from, let's say, one of our favorite shows when I was ah raising my girls was Little House on the Prairie. And we used to love to see that. It was always, you know, had good values and so forth. But that that's not really an accurate statement depiction of Hannah's world.
Speaker: I would say her world was more like Little House in the Boxing Ring. It was unfortunately a very stressful place for this lady, Hannah, who wound up being the the mother of Samuel, the prophet.
Speaker: When we review her life and her legacy, I think that what we're gonna conclude is her life wasn't easy, yet her focus was upon the Lord.
Speaker: And the Lord gave her an overflow of love that she could leave behind, not only in Samuel's heart, but think about this. God wanted it captured and left behind in his word.
Speaker: So she leaves her legacy of love behind on the pages of scripture so that we can be encouraged by it and inspired by it. The biblical record records for us um how you know she went from her pain to giving her son Samuel some gain. And so anyway, I pray that if your life is difficult out there as a mother, that you would also say, okay, Lord, even though it's hard, help me to be aware that I can leave my mark in a positive way upon my child's heart.
Speaker: One thing that if you were to take time to read 1 Samuel chapters 1 and 2, which we won't read all of the verses here, but I want you to know that one particular thing that characterizes this lady Hannah was her prayer.
Speaker: I believe that she prayed for a child, which wound up being Samuel, but she also seemed to pray for her children. So I want us to listen closely to what is written about Hannah in verses 10 and 11 and 12. Listen at this. After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh,
Speaker: Hannah rose. Now, he 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.
Speaker: And she vowed a vow and said, O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant, remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son.
Speaker: 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.
Speaker: Let's just push the pause button there for a moment because if you haven't read the story of Hannah, then you may not really understand all that's going on. But her husband's name was Elkanah.
Speaker: And Elkanah actually had two wives. ah He had one wife named Penina and then one wife named Hannah. And Penina had children, but Hannah had no children. And so she was ah barren. She was infertile and did not have any children that were from her body. And so it was very hard for her. And so where did she take her pain? She took her pain in the direction of prayer.
Speaker: She talked to the Lord, believing with all her heart that it was God that could do something about this. And so when she goes to the tabernacle to pray, ah she's voicing her prayer.
Speaker: And the the high priest then, this man named Eli, sees her, and he actually misjudges her. He thinks that she had been drinking alcohol. and that she was drunk.
Speaker: And so he begins to confront her about that. But she says in verse 15, "'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.'" So you get this idea that she's actually praying and pouring out her heart to God. She's not been ah irresponsible or something like that. You go down to verse 20 and it says, "'And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, "'and she called his name Samuel.'"
Speaker: For she said, I've asked for him from the Lord. And so think about how wonderful it would have been that God answered and heard that prayer. It says in verse 28, that the Lord 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.
Speaker: And so she's just so excited that God heard her prayer. But as we pray for our children, I just see such a great example that I wanted to point out some ways that we can pray for our children.
Speaker: The first thing I see is that she prayed transparently. I don't think that God wanted her to pretend that her life was okay because this um other wife that her husband had was ah very, very mean to Hannah and would make fun of her because she was barren.
Speaker: But it says in verse 10, she was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. So I think the first thing we see is Hannah prayed transparently, but she also prayed specifically when she says in verse 11, give to your servant a son.
Speaker: And so she took into that prayer time a desire and a longing that God would grant her a child, specifically a son. But it didn't happen right away.
Speaker: And so verse 12 tells us that she not only prayed transparently and specifically, she also prayed persistently. It says simply in verse 12, she continued praying.
Speaker: I think there's a lesson there that we should pray for our kids and not give up just because, you know, something particular that we're praying hasn't been answered for them yet. Don't forsake prayer and say, well, I guess it doesn't work. No, it does. Just give God time to arrange things so that it answers.
Speaker: But I love that verse 15, which says that when Hannah prayed, she prayed pouring out her soul before the Lord. What word do you think of? That's a ah word that we see in scripture related to prayer.
Speaker: The word I thought about was fervently. She prayed fervently, passionately. She was wholehearted saying, God, here's what I long to see happen in my family. And what I long to see happen is that you would bless me with a child.
Speaker: And so she was willing to pray ah patiently because verse 20 reminds us that you know it was something that happened in due time.
Speaker: Verse 20 says, and in due time, Hannah conceived and bore a son. So this didn't happen immediately, but it was in due time. Would you be willing to pray until God answers in his timing?
Speaker: But I think once God did answer, when you go from chapters one into chapter two, boy, you'll begin to see Hannah also prayed gratefully.
Speaker: She was so grateful that God heard her prayer for her little baby, which turned out to be a boy. And she was so thankful. But that's not the only legacy of love that we see left behind by Hannah.
Speaker: I would like to mention a second thing that I think could happen even in our day to not only pray for your children, but here's the second thing. Make marriage a priority in your life.
Speaker: The priority of your marriage You know, in verse five, I guess Elkanah, he couldn't help but notice the sadness that would come over Hannah because she didn't have a child. And so verse five says, but to Hannah, he gave a double portion because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.
Speaker: And so he he loved her. She had a husband who cared about her her and who was good to her. And then it says in verse eight about Elkanah, it said, and Elkanah, her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you weep?
Speaker: And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than 10 sons? He knew she was praying for a son. And he wanted that to happen for her so badly. And it must have been difficult all those years or all those months that went by until it was God's time.
Speaker: But we can rest in Psalm 84, verse 11, which tells us, no good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Speaker: And so it's possible to overlook sometimes the blessings that we have by longing for the gifts that God has not yet given.
Speaker: So I'm just urging you, if you and your husband are trying to have children and you haven't had children yet, to give God time to answer that prayer, that in time, he will hear your prayer. He will do what is right. And that's what he's promising.
Speaker: You know, it's interesting in Hebrews 13 verses four and five, it speaks about the marriage bed and it talks about how we should be ah consecrated and we should keep the marriage bed holy and pure and so forth. But then it goes straight into saying that we should be content.
Speaker: And I couldn't help but see that it flows from our consecration in marriage to our contentment in marriage. You know, if you read the story of David in the biblical account, what you see is that David, he he took his eyes off of the Lord for a while and he got his eyes on another man's wife and he committed adultery. And the Bible doesn't try to hide it. The Bible is right there open about it.
Speaker: But that's how that kind of thing takes place is whenever we forget that consecration and marriage ah leads us to contentment in marriage. So be faithful to your spouse. Keep ah the priority of marriage fresh in your relationship until that day that God would bless you with children. You know, it's interesting how God gave ah Hannah, such a generous and loving husband. He gave her a double portion of the offering. He also says, he goes on record, it says that he loved Hannah.
Speaker: And even though the Lord had closed her womb, so he didn't have a conditional love for her. He had a very unconditional love for his wife. And so what a blessing that was. And so it would have been, um natural for Hannah to say, you know, Lord, even if you never give me children, I will be so grateful for this wonderful husband that you have blessed me with. Have you ever looked upon your husband as being one of the blessings? I think that that would help you to make marriage a greater priority.
Speaker: But also I find it interesting that Elkanah was a very caring and sensitive man. It says, then Elkanah, her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you weep?
Speaker: Why do you not eat? Why is your heart grieved? And so don't you hear what he's saying? He's saying, Hannah, I care about you so much. And I know that you're not eating right.
Speaker: I know that you're sad about something. And I know that you're crying about something. And then he says, am I not better to you than 10 sons? and I think all he's trying to say is, Hannah, don't forget, God has blessed us with one another. And our marriage is something that deserves your thanks and your attention. and so forth. So don't focus only on what you don't have.
Speaker: Focus on what God has blessed you with. But let's move to a third legacy that I feel like that Hannah leaves behind, not only to pray for our children, not only to make our marriage a priority, but how about a third thing, to pursue God's best, to pursue God's best. There's three verses that stood out to me in chapter one that all tell me that Hannah was the kind of mom who said, you know what? I honestly want what is best for my son. Um,
Speaker: you know samuel And so here's what it says. 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 You know what I think one way she pursued God's best for her child was? She wanted God's will.
Speaker: Do you want God's will for your son, for your daughter? I think it's easy sometimes as parents. Let's say that I am a pastor. So what if I demanded of my daughters, you've got to be in ministry or I'm not ever going to be happy with you? What if that's not God's plan for my two daughters?
Speaker: What if God's plan for my daughters was in education or in, let's say, something else, maybe in technology or or maybe in music or in some other field you know ah that you could name?
Speaker: You know God's will should be what we want more than anything else for our kids. Are you willing to say, God, I want your will for my child?
Speaker: But also I think there was something else that was a driving force in Hannah's life. In verse 23, her husband Elkanah said to her, do what seems best to you.
Speaker: Wait until you've weaned him. Only may the Lord establish his word. So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. This was after Samuel was born, of course.
Speaker: But I thought, okay, there's a woman who also is not only pursuing God's will for her child, she's also saying, I want God's word to be fulfilled in my child. I want my child to know what God has said. And so she was very concerned. And so was her husband Elkanah. They both were together on this. They wanted their children to know God's word. That's why I really encourage you to look for a church where you can get your children into Bible study. That is, um,
Speaker: tailored for their age and for their developmental season in their life. And so say, okay, God, I want to let them hear me talk about your word. I want them to see me also reading your word.
Speaker: When our children, when our girls were younger, We had devotions that were geared for them, so we would read Bible stories for them at the end of the evening before we put them to bed, and then we would have prayer.
Speaker: But it was all a part of us saying, we want you to embrace God's word just like we have. But then in verse 28, once again, let me read this verse. It says,
Speaker: 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.
Speaker: Why was she sharing her son with the Lord? Because she had said, if you'll bless me with a son, i will give him to you for your work. Are you willing to say, God, I want your will and I want your work for my child? no matter what that work and what that will is, that would be a way of saying, God, I want your best for my child.
Speaker: You know, I've often heard God's will and God's work and so forth, all of these things related to God. I've often heard it described like it is described in Romans chapter 12, verse two. The will of God is that which is good and acceptable and and perfect. God's will is a perfect fit if we will just seek His will and get into His word.
Speaker: Well, let's move to the fourth way that I believe a mother can leave a legacy of love, and that is for your children to hear you playing praise music in your home or singing a song of praise yourself. Praise for God's gift.
Speaker: You know, 1 Samuel 2, verses one through 10, some people call this Hannah's song because after the birth of her child, this was her first child, remember, it wasn't her only child. We know from chapter two, verse 21, that Hannah went on to conceive and she bore three sons and two daughters.
Speaker: And so it's amazing that Samuel would have brothers and sisters later. But he was the firstborn. but From the very beginning, it says that Hannah prayed and said, "'My heart rejoices in the Lord. My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies because I rejoice in your salvation. No one is holy like the Lord, for there's none besides you, nor is there any rock like our God.'"
Speaker: Wow, I love 1 Samuel 2, verses 1 and 2. You know, children are a gift from the Lord, and so it should motivate us to say, you know what? I want to praise God.
Speaker: I want to exalt a God joyfully who would entrust me with a child like this child that you hold in your arms or that you have held in the past in your arms.
Speaker: You know, Hannah's motivation was gratitude. I think that she rejoiced in the Lord in verse one. and She rejoiced in the Lord and said, you know what, God?
Speaker: You are my song of joy. You are my strength. You are my smile. You are my salvation. I think she found so many things in her life that seemed to...
Speaker: Tell her, you know what? All of this, it's all a gift from the God who loves me so much that he blessed me with this little child. You know, as a pastor, I've seen it before where young adults who really weren't that active in following Christ, it's like once they have their firstborn, they start going to church. They start going to Bible study. They start growing in the Lord.
Speaker: Why? They're just so happy. God has blessed them in such a wonderful way to entrust them with children, and it just makes them want to exalt in Him. So no doubt she rejoiced in the Lord, but she also remembered not only the answer from the Lord, but she remembered the attributes of the Lord.
Speaker: I think that's where she's going in verse two. Maybe you're thinking, what is it? She's talking about God being holy. Why does she say there's nobody like you? Why does she say you know that there's there's not a rock like our God?
Speaker: Well, I think those things are simply reminders that she was saying this is who God is. These are his characteristics. These are his qualities. These are his attributes.
Speaker: And so the first one, when she says no one's holy like the Lord, i think she's just praising God for his holiness. When she goes on to say, there's none besides you, i think she's praising God for his uniqueness.
Speaker: Who else would bless us with children, you know, with such creativity? But then the third thing, she's praising God for his faithfulness, his steadfastness. You know, there's there's no rock like our God.
Speaker: You know, the thing about a rock out there in the ocean, it's like it's just going to stay there. I mean, the break the waves can break on it, but that rock just remains right there.
Speaker: That's like the Lord. He's been so faithful to us. So why shouldn't we ah say, God, I praise you for this precious and priceless gift of these children that you've placed in my care?
Speaker: Well, let me give you one more last thing that's found over in chapter 2, verses 18 and 19. Listen to this Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod, 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.
Speaker: You know, I thought to myself, I remember my best friend in Canada, Darrell, how he was a hunting outfitter and he would take men from the United States. We were in Canada. He would take men from the United States on these wild game hunts.
Speaker: And he would provide everything. He was such a comprehensive hunting outfitter. He would take care of their lodging and their meals and their transportation. He would select the best location for them to bring down the big one. He would handle all their permits and tags and he would guide them to the best spot he knew.
Speaker: He would ensure safety and carry emergency kits and get access to private lands and all kinds of things. He would pack out all the meat and so forth. But that's an outfitter, right?
Speaker: Don't you see in a way that moms, they're like outfitters. I've never thought of them before it until I read this passage and I thought, there's Hannah outfitting her son Samuel with what he needed for life.
Speaker: You know, mom, I wanna thank you for your investment in your kids because whether they ever recognize it or not, You've been the primary one that you've gotten them ready for what they're going to do later in life. You've given them the robes that they need.
Speaker: Of course, you've given them spiritual robes, but you've also given them the material robes. You've clothed them. You've fed them. You've taken care of them nutritionally and physically.
Speaker: You've put them in different activities that would develop their minds and help them with their little bodies to grow in a healthy way. Mom, you know what?
Speaker: I think that moms rock. I think that we underestimate the significance and the importance of mothers. And so I just wanted to go on record with this podcast of saying, mom, thank you so much for the legacy of love that you are leaving behind, not only for your children, but for your grandchildren. not only for your children or your grandchildren, but also for those of us who are standing by and we're watching the way that you love your kids well.
Speaker: Thank you so much for who you are and for all that you do. You may never be in a magazine. You may never be interviewed on some talk show on TV. They may never make a movie about you or sing a song about you.
Speaker: But I want you to know that in my opinion, heaven is noticing what a mother does. And I have proof. I can point you to Hannah and the way she loved Samuel.
Speaker: Why don't we go to the Lord in prayer? And let me just have the privilege of praying over the moms. Lord, thank you so much for thinking of motherhood. It's a great thought. Lord, your designs are perfect.
Speaker: Thank you so much. Lord, I know that there's not a mom out there who would say that she is perfect and does everything just right. oh Lord, it's a fallen world and it it impacts us in different ways. But in this broken world, one of those things that you did right you did so well was you said, I'm gonna make someone who will be in everyone's life, who will love them unconditionally. And when they love them, they're gonna be learning all along about my love.
Speaker: I know that there may be some that are listening to this podcast and maybe their mom didn't love them. Maybe their dad didn't love them. I don't know what their home life was like, but I know what I read in this passage. And I pray that we would say, i don't care what I did have or I didn't have.
Speaker: I'm going to start a new legacy and I'm going to leave it behind for my children. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Speaker: This is a ministry of First Baptist Church located at 1700 Milam Street, Columbus, Texas.
