A Mother's Prayer

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers. We pray your day was perfect and special. We had a wonderful service and Pastor Bob Cartwright named his message very fittingly, "A Mother's Prayer." We could all as mothers go on for days about the prayers offered up for our children. But the sleepless nights were so worth it when God answered. We had many visitors this Lord's Day. So I will not attempt to name them for fear I will miss someone. We were so blessed to have each of you and our prayer is that you will come again soon.

As always Sister Naomi was ready to share her thoughts and gifts with those of us who have become her family. Also, she had a drawing for two beautiful rose bushes. The very lucky gals were Sister Angela Renwick and Sister Joyce Walters. We want to say thank you for your thoughtfulness. After our song service and prayers for those in need, we were blessed by a song titled "Mama's Teaching Angels How to Sing." This is a very special song that Sister Angela has sung for her mother every Mother's Day for many years. It was beautiful and enjoyed by all.

When the service was turned to Pastor Bob, he spoke of mothers and their important role in the life of their children. He turned to the book of 1st Samuel 1:9-18. In this very touching account, Hannah was asking God for a child. She had prayed and fasted until she was very worn, but she never gave up. Our determination is very important when seeking God's will for our lives. Hannah was very saddened and wept before the Lord. She then went to the temple to pray. There she was greeted by Eli, a priest. He was sitting on a post at the Temple of the Lord. As she prayed Hannah made a promise to the Lord. She said, "If thou wilt give unto thy handmaid a man child, I will give him back to thee." She went on to say, "No razor shall come upon his head."

Why do you think she made this statement? I challenge you to find who this son would become. When Eli asked why she was so sad, she replied, "I have poured out my soul before the Lord." Eli answered and said these comforting words, "Go in peace and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked Him." So the woman went her way and did eat and her countenance was no more sad. If only we had that kind of faith.

In Matthew 23:37, we are again assured of God's protecting love for His children. He is there in our time of need, a trait also given to mothers and the care they give to their household. We get some very strong instruction in the book of Titus 2:1-5. In Verse 1, we find that a woman should be one who speaks of sound doctrine. Verse 3 says we should have behavior that shows holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things. This is a big responsibility. It goes on in Verse 4 to say we as mothers should teach our young women to walk after the ways of the Lord. To love their husbands and their children with pure heart. We must be keepers at home and obedient to our husbands. Yep, that's what it says so we must be the follower in home, not the leader. Of course the husband should be a God fearing head of our home.

In closing Pastor read a letter left for him and his eight siblings by their mother at her leaving of this life. It was so very touching that a mother would want to leave such moving words to her children. She spoke of the suffering that would surely come their way. In the same thought she assured them that as long as they pray and seek the Lord, they would be taken care of. She also told them that there would be good times and not to forget prayer when all is well. She stressed that they should never give up. She said that one day they would all have silver hair and then they would understand what she wrote in this lovely letter of a mother full of love and concern for her children. There was much more that I can not print it all, but will say it was wonderful.

How often do we let our minds go to a place where our children will have to make a life without us. We are so afraid that they will forget the teaching we have given them, but if we instill the word in them while they are young, the word says they will not depart from it when they are old. I leave with you this thought. Do we spend enough time reading the word to our family? On this note I again say from the Cove Mission of Hope, Happy Mother's Day and God bless.