OceanSide church of Christ
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WHAT MADE HANNAH A GREAT MOTHER?
Victor M. Eskew
Hannah is introduced to us in the first chapter of First Samuel. She was one of the two wives of Elkanah,
the Ephrathite (I Sam. 1:1-2). She
was dearly loved by her husband, but Hannah had no true joy because she had no
children. This barren state
eventually came to an end. When it
ceased, Hannah demonstrated that she was a mother worthy of being followed by
future mothers. What made Hannah a
great mother? This is the subject
of the lines that follow.
First, Hannah was a great mother because she desired to have
children. Hannah’s desire for
children was expressed both in her sorrow and in her prayer to God for a
child. “And she was in bitterness
of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of
hosts, if thou wilt in deed 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” (I Sam. 1:10-11). Desire is the expression of a want or a
longing. Hannah longed for a
child. Such is not the case with
some mothers today. They have
children, but they do not want them.
They have them because of their irresponsible sexual relationships. They have them out of a sense of
duty. They have them to reap the
benefits of the social welfare system.
Their lack of desire for their children, however, is evident in the way
they rear their children. Their
children are viewed as baggage instead of blessings. They are seen as a curse instead of a
source of comfort. A good mother,
like Hannah, desires her children.
A word to the wise: “If you
do not want children, please do not have them!”
Second, Hannah was a great mother because she provided her children with
nourishment and care. God blessed
Hannah with a son whom she named Samuel (I Sam. 1:20). Hannah did not neglect this child’s
physical needs. “So the woman
abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him” (I Sam. 1:23b). Hannah knew her son was totally
dependent upon her. He did not go
hungry. He did not go unattended
for hours at a time. He was not
left in soiled clothes. He did not
go unwashed day after day. He did
not suffer through sicknesses unattended.
Even when Samuel was taken to the temple, his mother continued to show
her care for him. “Moreover his
mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she
came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice” (I Sam. 2:19). Most mothers do well in the care of
their children. Some, however,
would do well to consider Hannah and follow in her
footsteps.
Third, Hannah was a great mother because she was willing to give her
child to the Lord. In her prayer to
God for a child, she made this promise:
“…then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life…” (I Sam.
1:11). When the child was weaned,
Hannah followed through with her commitment. She brought him to
the house of the Lord in
Hannah was a great mother. She desired children. She properly nourished and cared for her children. She reared her children to know the true and living God. All mothers can follow her example. It is a joy to see mothers walking in Hannah’s footsteps. These mothers will be blessed in this life and in the life to come. To all “great” mothers: HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!