Ed, my old neighbour from Saskatchewan, is getting busier on his farm and complaining that company always comes when you don’t have time to visit. Ed learned family from Edmonton was coming for the weekend to celebrate Mother’s Day. I told Ed it might be wise to be around on Mother’s Day even if he wants to work the land and seed. My old neighbour feels he does not need to be home for Mother’s Day because Ruby is his wife not his mother.
I told Ed that he could be with his family in honour of his mother. He replied that his mother has been dead for 10 years now. I suggested, then, it might be a good year to put some flowers on his mother’s grave. My old neighbour said his mother wouldn’t know if he put flowers on her grave. I told him he would know he honoured her with some flowers.
“It doesn’t say anything about Mother’s Day in the Bible,” Ed said.
I agreed with Ed, but reminded him it does say, “Honour your father and mother, that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” I also told Ed many of us could no longer call our mothers and tell them that we love them, but we will not forget their love for us, especially on Mother’s Day. Many folks do honour their mothers with the attitude that their mom was one of the very best ever.
In the Bible, Hannah wanted to be a mother but could not have children for many years. She was one of two wives to Elkanah. The two wives were known as Peninnah, the wife who could have children, and Hannah, the wife who could not bear children. Each year Hannah went with her husband to Shiloh to worship at the temple and pray. Eli and his two sons were priests there.
One year, Hannah prayed in great anguish at the temple. She was praying so intensely that her lips moved, but no words came out. Eli, the priest, noticed her and accused her of being drunk. Hannah assured Eli she was not drunk but praying in high anxiety. She was asking God for a son and promising that if the Lord gave her a son she would give her son back to God for as long as he lived. Eli told her that she should go in peace and let the God of Israel, grant her prayer.
The Lord blessed Hannah and her husband. She conceived and bore a son. She called her son, Samuel for she had asked for him from the Lord. Hannah kept the child Samuel until he was weaned. Then she took Samuel to Shiloh, to the priest Eli, at the house of Lord, and left him there. Samuel was given to God as Hannah had promised. Samuel was to be the Lord’s for as long as he would live.
Hannah understood Samuel was given to her so that God could claim Samuel’s life for His purpose.
God blessed Hannah with other children after Samuel.
