June 9, 2021
Adrian Rogers
Scripture Passage: 1 Samuel 1
It's well been said that the head of the home is the husband, but the heart of the home is the mother. Perhaps the most powerful and influential class of people in the world today are mothers.
1 Samuel 1 tells the story of Hannah, a barren woman who wanted more than anything else to have a son. After much prayer, God gave Hannah a son named Samuel, who was considered one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament.
“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish” (1 Samuel 1:10). Hannah had a God-given instinct to be a mother. She recognized that there is no greater earthly blessing than children.
Adrian Rogers says, “The time to begin to raise godly children is before they're born, and even before they're conceived.”
Hannah is one of several women in the Bible who were considered barren and were later given children by God; other examples are Sarah, Rachel, Ruth, and Elizabeth. Their children went on to bless the world and glorify God. Understanding this, we should begin praying for our children before they are ever conceived.
Hannah’s reason for wanting a child was to dedicate him back to God. She wanted to glorify God through her child. Our prayers for our children should not regard their wealth or power, but how they will glorify God.
"Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him” (1 Samuel 1:17). Hannah was a woman of prayer, but not just prayer easily uttered and soon forgotten. She continued to pray before and after this child was born. By her example, we learn to never waver in our prayers, no matter how dark the circumstances.
A mother makes the deepest impression on a child; her chief weapon in her arsenal is the influence she has over her children.
Are you raising your children for the glory of God? Remember, those who will take that priority, make that prayer, own that purpose, commit to that persistence and persuasion, by the grace of God, will raise godly children.
