Great Mothers: Hannah

Every potential mother, mother, and grandmother wants to be great.

But reaching the high plateau of being GREAT requires both dedication and some powerful qualities. Hannah had both.

And every mother can have her qualities. Let’s see what they are.

Intro

The beautiful account about Hannah is about a humble woman becoming a mother. She demonstrates 3 qualities every great mother has. Let’s just tell her experience so you can see the qualities.

An Israelite man named Elkanah had two wives. One was called Peninnah (PaNEE’Nah). She had children. The other was Hannah, was loved greatly by Elkanah, but she did not have children.

Every year Elkanah would go to Shiloah, to the Tabernacle to worship and sacrifice to God. As a male Israelite, he was REQUIRED to go to the Tabernacle every year. But no woman was REQUIRED to come to the Tabernacle, much less to worship or sacrifice. He would provide Peninnah a portion but give Hannah a double portion because he loved her even though God had closed her womb.

Now, did you see her first quality?

Hannah’s first quality is that she was worshipful. It says in 1 Sam 1:7 “So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she  used to provoke her.”

She knew God well. SHE went year after year, even though she was not required to do it. SHE worshipped. SHE made a sacrifice for her sins.

Even before she gave birth to the future prophet and judge, Samuel, she knew God as supreme, powerful, MERCIFUL, and KIND.

Mothers, grandmothers, if you are wanting THE BEST for your children, get to know God. Make him the highest priority in your life and your children’s foundation can come. If you need help getting this done, get in touch with us. I will tell you how at the end.

Ok, back to the story.

When we stopped, we had seen that Peninah was provoking Hannah. Under their customs at that time, married women without children were considered disgraceful, like they were being punished by God. So Peninah frequently shamed Hannah. She humiliated and embarrassed Hannah often. Hannah had a 2-part problem. 1) No Children, and 2) Peninah’s constant bashings.

But great mothers KNOW where to get answers. Great moms know God has all the answers.

God recorded this for us. “1 Samuel 1:9-10  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.  (10)  She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.”

Did you see the 2^nd great quality?

Great mothers like Hannah, bring their problems to God.

Great mothers can be deeply distressed with social disgrace or health problems. But great moms get on their knees. They humble themselves before God. They allow him to give the best possible answer.

Ladies, and men, there is nothing wrong with crying bitterly before God. He is our answer to every question, every problem, every situation.

And great mothers remember Rom. 8.26 “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

If you need help with prayer, we have a prayer request page and a contact page available.

I told you there were 3 qualities. Let’s go find #3.

While she was expressing herself to God in her distress, she made a big promise. She said, 1 Samuel 1:11  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.”

That is a huge promise. She is saying that if God will give her just 1 son, she will give that son back to God.

What was God’s answer?

1 Samuel 1:19-20  …. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.  (20)  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.”

Now, what is Hannah going to do about that promise?

She remembers it and begins the process of keeping it. 1 Samuel 1:22  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.”

She fulfills her vow, her promise, to God.

This is how God recorded what Hannah did. 1 Samuel 1:24-28  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.  (25)  Then they slaughtered the bull, and THEY BROUGHT THE CHILD TO ELI.  (26)  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.  (27)  For this child I prayed, and THE LORD HAS GRANTED ME MY PETITION that I made to him.  (28)  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.

Did you see what Great mothers do?

THEY KEEP THEIR WORD, THEIR PROMISES. We might say, Her word is her bond. Great mothers do what they say they will do. If they make promises, they keep them. Period.

What effect will “keeping your word” have on your children? Will they be influenced to “keep their word”, too? And great moms not only keep their own word but enforce their children’s promises and statements. If the kids promise to take care of the pet, great moms make sure they do. They want their children to learn the same quality.

The qualities of a GREAT mother are:

1. Being worshipful
2. Bringing their problems to God
3. Keeping their promises

Ladies, if you are not as great as you want to be, Timeless Talks is here to help. Call or text the number on the screen. Leave your message. We will help you. Or you can use the contact form or the prayer request, under services. Search the website for other videos or free reading materials. Everything is FREE. No obligations.

We are glad you took the time to watch. We hope you will watch other videos here. We hope to visit again real soon. Until then, well, Goodbye for now.