Thoughts for the Day

In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked him of the Lord.’

'The man Elkanah and all his household 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, that he may appear in the presence of the Lord, and remain there for ever; I will offer him as a nazirite for all time.’ Her husband Elkanah said to her, ‘Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him; only—may the Lord establish his word.’ So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him. 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. 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. 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 the petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.’

She left him there for the Lord.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

This Mothering Sunday we look at an amazing mother, Hannah. At a time when polygamy was practiced she was unable to produce a child by her husband Elkanah (of the tribe of Levi), but her husband's other wife Peninnah had given birth to children. Inconsolable, at the time of the annual journey to offer a sacrifice to God at Shiloh she leaves the family celebration and goes to pray in the temple. Eli, the High Priest thinks she is drunk, but she affirms that if God will give her a son she will dedicate him to God as a Nazarite for his life (Numbers 6). Since all firstborn sons were dedicated to God, this may not seem much, but in fact it was a huge commitment as she promised to leave her son after weaning (around three years old) in the temple with the High Priest (1 Samuel 1).

In the scriptures the birth of children is seen as a gift from God, and barrenness as a punishment, not least because with no children she would have no-one to care for her or protect her. Hannah is one of six women in the Hebrew scriptures whom God works with to achieve His promises (see Further Thoughts below) and in each case they give birth to a child who will be of great importance. Hannah's child, Samuel, was to be a Prophet second only to Moses. He would be a Judge over Israel and play an important role in the transition to a United Kingdom under Saul and later David. He is venerated as a Prophet in Judaism, Christianity, and in Islam.

Today let us thank God for all the women in our scriptures who kept the faith and who prayed for God's will to be done. May we also thank God for our mothers and their generosity and love, shown to us throughout their life.

A prayer for our Mothers (whether present or past)

Lord Jesus Christ,
Your mother, Mary,
gave You love
and nurtured You as a child.
She enabled You to fulfill
Your ministry as a man,
and so we give thanks for her example.
We thank You for our own mothers
and for the times they have
selflessly helped us,
enabling us to mature as adults,
and to come to a living faith.
Amen.