BIG IDEA: What a gracious mother looks like.

A WORD TO EACH OF YOU IN YOUR DIFFERENT SEASONS AND SITUATIONS: Girls and young women, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can aim to be one someday. Boys and young men, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can aim to marry one someday. Would-be mothers, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can pray and prepare now for the day when you have children. Physical Mothers, you with those in your physical care, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can examine yourself, be exhorted to faithfulness, and so be comforted by the Scriptures. Spiritual Mothers, you with those in your spiritual care, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can examine yourself, be exhorted to faithfulness, and so be comforted by the Scriptures. Would-be husbands, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you choose a godly woman to marry who will aim to be a gracious mother. Would-be fathers, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can pray and help your wife prepare to be a gracious mother. Fathers, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can help your wife examine yourself, help exhort her to faithfulness, and help comfort her by the Scriptures.

I. A GRACIOUS MOTHER WORKS AS THE HELPMATE OF HER HUSBAND TO SEE THAT THEIR CHILDREN LOVE AND SERVE THE LORD (1 Samuel 1:21-23a) “The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 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.’ Elkanah her husband said to her, ‘Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the LORD establish his word.’” Elkanah it seems had also made a vow, possibly before Hannah, but it is more likely he ratified her vow, even making his own. If he would have been so inclined, he could have vetoed his wife’s vow, but he did not (Numbers 30). By the way, Matthew Henry has an encouraging word for mothers concerning this passage: “Those that are detained from public ordinances by the nursing and tending of little children may take comfort from this instance, and believe that, if they do that with an eye to God, he will graciously accept them therein.”

II. A GRACIOUS MOTHER DOES ALL SHE CAN TO SEE THAT HER CHILDREN LOVE AND SERVE THE LORD (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.’” Matthew Poole notes, “‘[As soon as the child be weaned]’ not only from the breast and the milk, which was done within two or three years at most, but also from the mother's knee and care, and from childish food; till the child be something grown up, and fit to do some service in the tabernacle, for, it seems, that as soon as he was brought up, he worshipped God, 1 Samuel 1:28, and presently after ministered to Eli, 1 Samuel 2:11. And this may further appear from the very nature of the vow, which must needs design a service and an advantage to the tabernacle, and not a burden and encumbrance, as it would have been if a young child had been brought up to it, and left upon it.” I think Poole is correct, but either way we know Hannah was committed to doing all she could to see that Samuel loved and served the Lord. Spurgeon preached, “You are as much serving God in looking after your own children, and training them up in God's fear, and minding the house, and making your household a church for God, as you would be if you had been called to lead an army to battle for the Lord of hosts.”

III. A GRACIOUS MOTHER WILL NOT WILLINGLY LET ANOTHER BRING UP HER CHILDREN; SHE TAKES UP THAT DUTY HERSELF (1 Samuel 1:23b) “So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.” Matthew Henry said, “The close attendance Hannah gave to the nursing of him, not only because he was dear to her, but because he was devoted unto God, and for [God] she nursed him. She therefore nursed him herself, and did not the hang him on another's breast. . . This sanctifies the nursing of them, when it is done as unto the Lord.” C.S. Lewis wrote, “Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work.” He is right.
Mothers and would-be mothers, as your husbands helpmate, it is your duty to train your children up in: I) Personal Stewardship, by buffeting your body and making it your slave. II) Bodily Stewardship, by using the body God has given you, fueling, exerting, and resting it for His glory; III) Familial Stewardship, by proving and protecting; IV) Financial Stewardship, by earning, budgeting, staying free from debt, saving, and investing; V) Creational Stewardship, by being fruitful and taking dominion; VI) Vocational Stewardship, on how to glorify the Lord in vocation whether as a man outside the home or a women in the home; VII) Marital Stewardship, by boys being trained how to be men who love their wives, and by girls being trained how to be women who submit to the husbands, loving their husband and their children; VIII) Chronological Stewardship, on how to make the best use of the time; IX) Relational Stewardship, on how to treat older men, younger men, younger women, and older women; and, finally, X) Spiritual Stewardship, on private, family, and public worship.

IV. A GRACIOUS MOTHER OFFERS HER CHILDREN TO THE LORD BY FAITH IN THE LORD’S SACRIFICE (1 Samuel 1:24-25). “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. Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.” Matthew Henry said, “So far was she from thinking that, by presenting her son to God, she made God her debtor, that she thought it requisite by these slain offerings to seek God's acceptance of her living sacrifice. All our covenants with God for ourselves and ours must be made by sacrifice, the great sacrifice.”

V. A GRACIOUS MOTHER KNOWS THAT HER CHILDREN ARE A GIFT FROM THE LORD, THEREFORE SHE OFFERS THEM BACK TO HIM FOR HIS GLORY (1 Samuel 1:26-28a). “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. 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."

VI. A GRACIOUS MOTHER’S GREATEST DESIRE FOR HER CHILDREN IS THAT THEY WORSHIP THE LORD FOR HIS GLORY AND THEIR GOOD (1 Samuel 1:28b). “And he worshiped the LORD there.”

APPLICATION

I) USE THESE TRUTHS FOR EXAMINATION. Mothers, are you a gracious mother? What ways do you need to repent? In what ways do you need to press on? Children, do you have a gracious mother? Then thank God for her, and tell her how thankful you are for her. “Her children rise up and call her blessed” (Proverbs 31:28a). Fathers, is your wife a gracious mother? Then thank God for her, and tell her how thankful you are for her. “Her husband also, and he praises her” (Proverbs 31:28b). Fathers, is your wife a not gracious mother? Then pray and get to work for God’s glory. You are responsible. You are the head. Girls, young women, and grown women, do you or did you not have a gracious mother? Then earnestly seek out a spiritual mother in the church. Seek out a godly woman who can be a gracious spiritual mother to you. You women who are not new or immature in the faith, who can you be a gracious mother to, spiritually speaking?

II) USE THESE TRUTHS FOR EXHORTATION. Mothers and would-be mothers, I) work as the helpmate of your husband to see that your children love and serve the Lord (vv. 21-23a), II) do all you can to see that your children love and serve the Lord (v. 22), III) do not willingly let another bring up your children; do whatever you must to take up that duty yourself (v. 23b), IV) offer your children to the Lord by faith in the Lord’s sacrifice—do all that you do by faith in Christ, and depending on Him for His help by the Holy Spirit (v. 24-25), V) realize your children are a gift from the LORD, therefore offer them back to Him for His glory (vv. 26-28a), and VI) remember your greatest desire for your children should be that they worship the Lord for His glory and their good (v. 28b). If that is not your true desire, but you would rather see them successful as the world deems it, or desirable as culture dictates, or something else, confess that to God now and ask Him to change your desires for your children.

III) USE THESE TRUTHS FOR COMFORT. Mothers, Do you see these desires Hannah has for Samuel? I know you most likely feel that you fail repeatedly, but are your desires the desires of a gracious mother? Are you aiming at bringing up your children to love and serve the Lord, though you stumble in many ways? Take heart. These desires and aims are signs of God’s abundant grace toward you in Christ.

All of you believers, see the love a gracious mother has for her children; see Hannah nursing Samuel with tender care, see her presenting her son to the Lord by sacrifice, see her taking pleasure in him as he worships the Lord! Then look at Christ Jesus and see that he has done all of this for you.

Believers, Christ loves you with a tender love, like that of a nursing mother. “Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me." "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah‬ 49:14-16).

Saints, Christ presents you to the LORD by sacrifice. “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, [Christ] has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” (Colossians 1:21-22).

Beloved, Christ takes pleasure in his people especially as they worship him. “Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation. Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds” (Psalm 149:4-5).

All unbelievers and fake believers, go to Jesus Christ by repentance and faith and you will be received by him with this kind of tender compassion. We want you to be saved! Come and talk to any of us. You need to be baptized, showing your faith is in Christ Jesus alone to save you and rule you. “All who believe in Him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11).