CHRISTIAN MOTHERS
[1 Samuel:1:9-28 [9] So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. [10] And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. [11] And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. [12] And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. [13] Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. [14] And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. [15] And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. [16] Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. [17] Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. [18] And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. [19] And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. [20] Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD. [21] And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. [22] But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever. [23] And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him. [24] And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young. [25] And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. [26] And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. [27] For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: [28] Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there. ]; [2 Kings:4:8-37 [8] And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. [9] And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. [10] Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. [11] And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. [12] And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. [13] And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people. [14] And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. [15] And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. [16] And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. [17] And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life. [18] And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. [19] And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. [20] And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. [21] And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. [22] And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. [23] And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. [24] Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. [25] So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: [26] Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well: [27] And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. [28] Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? [29] Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. [30] And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her. [31] And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. [32] And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. [33] He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. [34] And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. [35] Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. [36] And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. [37] Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out. ]; [Luke:1:26-33 [26] And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, [27] To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. [28] And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. [29] And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. [30] And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. [31] And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. [32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: [33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. ].
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:1).
A Christian Mother Is One of God’s Great Blessings
One of the greatest blessings a child can have is a Christian mother. She will tell her child about Jesus, about His love, that He died on the Cross to save children from their sins, so that they may go to Heaven to be with Jesus forever. She will teach them to pray and to learn God’s Holy Word, and to give their lives to God. The Christian mother can keep her children from doing things that would bring them much suffering, if the children obey what the mother tells them. God has given a commandment with a promise that if we honour our parents it will be well with us and we shall live long on the earth.
A Mother’s Prayer Was Answered
A Christian mother, named Hannah, had no son and she wanted one very much. Perhaps she wanted a son so that she could give him to the Lord’s work.
One day when she was praying and telling God that if He would give her a son she would give him to God, a good man, named Eli, told her that God was going to answer her prayer. She went away happy, believing that God would keep His promise.
Samuel Was Brought to the Temple
When Samuel, the boy God gave Hannah, was very young, his mother kept her promise to god and brought Samuel to the Temple to serve the Lord. She said she had lent him to the Lord. Hannah probably went often to see her boy and to bring him presents. Samuel became a great and a good man, and was surely thankful to God for a good mother.
Mary Was Chosen to be the Mother of Jesus
The greatest Christian mother was Mary, the mother of Jesus. When God looked down from Heaven and saw many women -– some loved God and many did not -– He saw one who loved Him very much, and He chose her to be the mother of His Son Jesus.
He sent an angel called Gabriel to tell her that He was going to give her a son whom men would call Jesus. Then angel said He would be a great king, and do wonderful things. Mary believed what the angel told her, and she praised God for choosing her. Perhaps she did not know how very great her Son was to be, but she thought a great deal about what the angel had said to her. Later she saw how wonderful a Son God had given her. God knew she would be a good mother, or He would not have chosen her. Jesus loved His mother, and even while on the Cross, He was thinking of her -– finding her a home and someone to take care of her.
A Good Mother Trusts God
There were many mothers who loved God even before Jesus came to this earth, and God was pleased with them and blessed them. We have read about the good woman who often invited a man of God to come into her home and eat. One day she told her husband that it would be a good thing for them to give him a room in their house, for she believed he was a man of God.
Perhaps he needed to have that room, for he accepted it and no doubt was very thankful for it. One day he called her and told her that God would give her a son.
A Mother Has Faith in the Man of God
One day the boy said he felt sick, and he died in his mother’s lap. She laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door, and went to look for the man of God. She must have believed that he would pray for the boy and God would raise him up again. When the man of God came to her home, he surely asked God to bring the boy back to life, and God did it.
It is always good to trust God, to believe His Word, and thank Him for all His goodness. It is good, too, to thank God for Christian parents.
1. Why is it important for children to go to Sunday School? [Proverbs:22:6Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
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2. What did Hannah promise God if He would give her a son? [1 Samuel:1:11And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
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3. Did she keep that promise? [1 Samuel:1:24And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.
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4. Whom should we love even more than our father or mother? [Matthew:10:37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
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5. What is promised us if we honour our parents? [Exodus:20:12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
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