“A Portrait of a Godly Woman”
1 Samuel 1:1-19
“O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
1 Samuel 1:11
The word “Godly” means “pious or holy,” the inward and outward effects of being born again and indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
- True godliness manifests itself in our lives when our fleshly appetites and desires are under the control of the Holy Spirit.
- Therefore, rather than yield to the carnal allurements of the sinful world, a godly woman distinguishes herself by her modest dress, her gentle spirit, her seasoned speech, her good deeds for others, her love for the Lord Jesus, and if she is married, in the way she respects her husband and devotes herself to her God-given task to raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
- No other vocation, or ministry, has such eternal potential or eternal consequences as that of being a godly mother.
- In 1865, William Ross Wallace published a poem entitled “What Rules the World.” Each stanza ends with this proverb: “The hand that rocks the cradle is that hand that rules the world.”
The observance of Mother’s Day can be traced back to the various pagan celebrations in Greece and Rome, and to what was called a “Mothering Sunday” in England during the 17th century.
- However, in 1858, Ann Jarvis, an Appalachian woman, organized “Mother’s Work Days,” – a day in which mothers worked to improve their sanitation system to prevent people from dying from disease-bearing insects and the seepage of polluted water.
- In 1870, Julia Ward Howe, the woman who wrote “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” asked mothers to unite in their appeal for world peace, for she was tired of seeing mothers grieve over the loss of their sons in war. The first Mother’s Day was in June 1872.
- Ann Jarvis died in 1905, but her daughter, Anna, campaigned for a national Mother’s Day to honor all mothers. In 1914, Mother’s Day was officially recognized by the US Congress, and President Woodrow Wilson officially established the 2nd Sunday of May as a national holiday, which was the day Ann Jarvis died.
In Hannah’s day, the worst stigma a woman could bear was to be barren. A woman who could not bear children was considered useless, because every woman desired to be the mother of the Messiah.
- Hannah was beautiful, but she was also barren, and since every man wanted a son to carry on his family name, Elkanah, Hanna’s husband, married another woman named Peninnah, who gave him several sons and daughters.
- Hannah knew Elkanah loved her more than Peninnah, but she grieved over her inability to bear a son for him.
- It is in this strained environment that we get a biblical portrait of a godly woman.
1. A Godly Mother Worships God Openly – Vs. 3-7 –
- Each year, Elkanah, Hannah, and Peninnah traveled to Shiloh to make their annual sacrifices unto the Lord.
- Even though her barrenness plagued her, and the other women who saw her scorned her, Hannah continued to worship God openly.
- When mothers worship God openly, she is laying out the pattern for her children to follow in their pursuit of the happiness and satisfaction they see in her life, even if things are not always easy or pleasurable.
2. A Godly Mother Prays to God Faithfully – Vs. 10 – Notice the depth of Hannah’s prayer:
- Hannah submitted herself to the omnipotence and sovereignty of God – if He would allow her the privilege of bearing a son, she would give that son back to Him as His servant.
- When mothers pray faithfully, she is teaching her children what true faith and true dependence upon God really means.
3. A Godly Mother Submits to God Unconditionally – Vs. 11 –
- Hanna recognized the Lord’s authority over her life, and she willingly placed herself as His handmaid, one who would be willing to do the most menial tasks for their Master.
- When mothers are absolutely surrendered unto the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and sole their purpose in life is to glorify Christ and to praise Him forever, she is paving the way for her children to put their trust in Him as well.
4. A Godly Mother Trusts God’s Word Completely – Vs. 12 –
- Hannah prayed unto God quietly. She poured out her soul before the Lord, speaking only with her heart, not her voice.
- Even though Eli, the Priest, did not know what Hannah prayed, he gave her his blessing: “Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”
- In verse 18, the Bible says, Hannah cleaned herself up, ate a meal, put a smile on her face and went her way.
- Hannah trusted the Word of God that had been spoken by the man of God. Therefore, her request was in the hands of the Lord, and she waited in faith, believing God would answer her prayer.
- When mothers read their Bible consistently and persistently, she is laying the foundation for her children to express their faith and trust in the God of the Word, for “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”
5. A Godly Mother Receives Her Children Gratefully – Vs. 19-20 – The greatest day in Hanna’s life.
- Elkanah and Hannah rose early to worship the Lord together, then they returned to their home in Raman where they had sexual relations, and the Lord answered Hannah’s prayer.
- Verse 20 says she named her son – “Samuel, saying, Because I have asked the Lord!”
- Hannah saw her baby as God’s answer to her prayer. She also saw the opportunity to mother a child as the greatest gift God could give her, and she was grateful for it.
- Mothering is the greatest gift God could give to any woman, and when children see their mother express that attitude in her daily duties, they become interested in the source of that sacrificial love.
6. A Godly Mother Dedicates Her Children to the Lord Fully – Vs. 22
- Hannah made a vow to God, and she kept it. Hannah kept Samuel until he was weaned, which means he would be between 2 and 3 years of age, and then she gave him to Eli the priest.
- Even though Eli was not an effective priest or father, Hannah put her trust in the God who had given her a child.
- When mothers trust the Lord for their children’s safety, security, and success, her children are more likely to put their trust in the Lord for their eternal salvation, even at a very early age.
