Roche Coleman Ministries: The Infusion Broadcast

Dr. Roche Coleman: On Mother's Day, there's a mother who's here hurting in pain. There are some mothers who have their children with them, and there are others who can't find them, don't know where they are, or are wondering what is going on with them. It is a pain, a hurt, an albatross.

Your children are not living right. Some of your children won't behave; they just would not listen. They're unruly, and you have done all you could to try to raise them in the fear and the admonition of the Lord. You are praying for them two, three, and four times a day. You are trying to get them on the right path, but they have refused. But I want to let you know: the Lord sees your pain.

Guest (Male): There are no words, there is no portion you can receive that's going to heal that. Only the God of heaven himself can provide the balm of Gilead to your pain and bring about a healing.

This is the Infusion Broadcast with a Roche Coleman Ministries. We're so glad you've joined us today as Dr. Coleman brings a special Mother's Day message. God has, in his infinite wisdom, designed mothers to be the nurturers and protectors of innocent children, and yet in our communities today, not just in America but around the world, the enemy uses people to change God's design.

His tactics have become blatant as he seeks to redefine what a woman is. Today, Dr. Coleman defines the great influence of mothers and how it's foundational to the well-being of our societies. Let's listen to this special word of encouragement to mothers, Dr. Coleman.

Dr. Roche Coleman: First Samuel chapter 1, beginning at verse 1. I'm reading from the New American Standard version. "Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children."

"Now this man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the Lord there. When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; but to Hannah, he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her because the Lord had closed her womb. It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat."

Father, we love you. We thank you for how you do all things well. Lord, you are a good God, awesome, mighty, and majestic in all of your ways. Lord, we are so thankful for today, for Mother's Day. Lord, we ask for your blessings and your favor. Lord, be with us as we look into your word. Open our understanding, and Lord, for what you do, we will be certain to give you praise and glory. We thank you. Rise up, oh Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before your presence. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

As we look into First Samuel, it is clear to us that we have shifted from the mindset of those who lived in antiquity. This is the pre-monarch years, the conclusion of the period of the judges. During this era, women having children were considered blessed. Those children represented a lifeline, a legacy.

Today, in the United States of America, our society has shifted. We no longer embrace the biblical values. We no longer see life through the lens of scripture, but we have adopted, and in many cases in the ecclesia, the values of the society. We embrace more of the philosophies of those in the entertainment industry, those in the professional realm. We believe their values are greater than ours.

Therefore, barrenness in antiquity that was viewed as something to be an embarrassment or shameful, in America, barrenness—having no children—is considered a badge of honor because children have been deemed a burden for women to avoid. Women are opting in many sectors for their careers over motherhood because parents being a parent or having children is deemed something that is a death to their professional careers, or it will hinder them from their social activities. But in the Bible, according to the word of God, God told the man and woman to be fruitful and to multiply. God desired for women to have children and be mothers. It’s an honor.

In First Samuel, we are introduced to this gentleman, Elkanah. Elkanah was in the lineage of the Kohathites according to First Chronicles 6. Elkanah, we are going to see, is a man who has two wives according to First Samuel chapter 1. Very interesting. He has these two wives, and we know immediately that this is a violation of the word of God. God created man to be one with one woman (Genesis 2:23-24). We saw the introduction of this polygamy come into the human condition in Genesis chapter 4, when Lamech takes a second wife, and he is the seventh generation, a descendant in the line of Cain. This is the first time we're introduced to polygamy, but this is not God's original design.

Remember, God's original design was one man, one woman, eternally together in monogamy, but because of sin, everything has been tainted and marred. Elkanah, the Bible tells us, has two wives. I'm convinced Hannah probably was the first wife; her name is mentioned first in the text. Peninnah is the second wife, probably taken as a wife because Hannah is barren. Hannah cannot produce the fruit of the womb, and we're going to see the reason she can't produce the fruit of the womb. But nevertheless, she cannot produce, and so Elkanah takes a second wife.

What we're going to see here in these first verses is Hannah's hurt. Hannah has to deal with, first, the embarrassment of having a second woman in her home with her husband. But if that were not enough, now she's barren, she cannot have children, and so in this context, this is a blight on her social status and her worth as a wife and a mother.

Things got worse, though. Peninnah had children, the Bible tells us in verse 2, and Peninnah would make fun of the fact that Hannah could not have children. The Bible lets us know that when they would go to offer sacrifice, which was three times a year, Hannah would go as well, but she was never happy because she felt that she was less than. We're going to see that she's going to be bitter in spirit because she cannot give the fruit of the womb. Although she can't give the fruit of the womb, the Bible lets us know Elkanah still loved her greater than he loved Peninnah.

The Bible says when they would go to offer sacrifice, he would give her a double portion. Look in verse 4: he would give a double portion although his wife Hannah couldn't have children. Why did he give a double portion? Because we see that he loved her greater than he loved Peninnah. Verse 5: Elkanah said, "I love you," he said, "I'm going to give you a double portion," and he gives her this double portion. But the one thing you and I have to see in this text is although she receives double in resources, her heart is still hurting, and she is weeping and she's bitter. Why? Because she still feels less than. She has no children. She still feels less than, and the double portion, the means, cannot cover, they are not sedative for the pain, the hurt that she has, and it's causing Hannah much grief.

To make matters worse, verse 6 lets us know her rival, Peninnah, provoked her. She's provoking her because she knows that's a sensitive area for Hannah. Hannah is hurting and she has pain here, but it did not stop Peninnah from saying, "I'm going to be compassionate." Instead, she is continuously provoking her.

Hannah didn't take matters into her own hand. Hannah could have easily decided to put, get some Vaseline and sneakers, and go toe-to-toe with her, but she did not take that approach. She could have easily slapped, or none of that from Hannah. And I believe the reason why Hannah didn't do that is because her name means grace, and Hannah was gracious even to her rival, even to her enemy. Though she's hurting and in pain, I think Hannah understood that she needed to go to someone who was greater than her enemy.

On Mother's Day, there's a mother who's here hurting, in pain. There are some mothers who have their children with them, and there are others who can't find them, don't know where they are, or are wondering what is going on with them. It is a pain, a hurt, an albatross. Your children are not living right. Some of your children won't behave; they just would not listen. They're unruly, and you have done all you could to try to raise them in the fear and the admonition of the Lord. You are praying for them two, three, and four times a day. You are trying to get them on the right path, but they have refused. But I want to let you know: the Lord sees your pain.

There are no words, there is no portion you can receive that's going to heal that. Only the God of heaven himself can provide the balm of Gilead to your pain and bring about a healing. Hannah here is hurting, and you would think that Peninnah would understand the woman code and know that, "Girl, I'm hurting and you should be sympathetic with me," but instead they're rivals, the text tells us here in verse 6. And so instead, she is trying to rub it in.

Poor Hannah, she's struggling with it, not for a short period of time, year after year, verse 7 tells us. She's dealing with this. When they go to the house of the Lord, she would provoke her. Year after year, she has to see her with the children as they're walking in the procession going to the house of God. She has to see this and she is thinking, "Why, God, have you," in verse 5, "closed my womb?" Because the Lord is the one who has closed the womb of Hannah. Look in your text: God has decided that he was not going to permit her to have children. We don't know why God did it, but nevertheless, God is sovereign. Sometimes God will decide, "I'm going to close a door, I'm going to shut it off, I will not allow you to receive," because he is God and he is sovereign and he can do it. This is one thing that God does: sometimes God doesn't tell us why he does what he does.

Hannah does not receive a word why, but God says, "I am the one who has closed your womb." And sometimes I want to let you know, saints, that God will close, he will block, he will stop, and he will not give us a reason for why he does what he does. And this is what's going on here with Hannah. She can't question God, and so in her hurt, she's having to endure this year after year after year.

The Bible lets us know that she would not eat (verse 7). She wept because she is enduring this hurt, this embarrassment and this shame, and this rival, and it's constant. Elkanah could not fix it. He tried his best. He asked her in verse 8, "Why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?" Hannah said, "No, you're not."

The Bible says Hannah is even in a place of distress (verse 10). In her great distress, I believe she is depressed because she can't seem to find a solution. But Hannah, I like, does not stay in this distress place. Mothers, I want to tell you this today, I want to encourage you. Now listen to me, because we all go through things in life, but you have to go from hurt to a place of hope. Hannah's shifting from her hurt to where she's going to a place of hope. And the reason Hannah could go from hurt to hope was because Hannah changed her perspective.

Hannah began to call upon the source of all healing, help, and hope. She began to call upon the name of the Lord. Verse 10 says she was greatly distressed and she prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. She's praying and calling out to God because she sees where she is, she can't change it, and the Bible says she made a vow and said, "O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction—look what she calls it—she says, this is an affliction I'm dealing with, your maidservant, and remember me and not forget your maidservant, but will give your maidservant a son."

Notice how many times she references herself as a servant, as a slave. She's saying, "Lord, I have been totally committed to you, and because I'm your servant, your maidservant," she says, "Lord, look upon me and have mercy." She vows that she's going to give this child back to the Lord.

She continued praying in verse 12 before the Lord, and then Eli was watching her mouth. Hannah is praying and she is not just shouting, she's not trying to bring attention to herself, but in humble submission and quiet surrender, she's calling out to God because she wanted God to hear her heart and see her hurt, and she wanted God to give her hope in the midst of her hurt and pain. This is why she's calling out to God. Listen to me, saints: there are times that you have to be quiet before God and call out to him and him alone.

She's praying, and watch what happens. I love this. Eli is watching her mouth. Eli said to her, "How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you." And then he accuses her without fact; he accuses her of being a lush, a drunkard, an alcoholic in the temple of God. But Hannah says, "No, I'm not drunk, I'm not wicked, I'm living in obedience and holiness to my God, and I'm crying out and pouring out my heart to my God, Eli. Don't get it mistaken."

Maybe there are some mothers here, maybe some online, you've logged on and you've lost a child, and maybe there's some burden and guilt you might still be carrying because you believe you're responsible. You've got to let it go and you've got to give it to the Lord. The door is closed on Hannah. She's barren. Hannah is here, she's not drunk, she's pouring out—I love that imagery, it's so beautiful—she says, "I have poured out my soul before the Lord." She says, "I can't retain it and therefore I am giving it to a God who can handle it." And how many times are we trying to hold and handle something that is beyond our ability? Give it to the Lord, pour it out upon the altar of grace.

Hannah says, "I am giving it to him." Why is she giving it to him? Because Hannah understood that it is the Lord who knows and remembers our afflictions. Hannah here is only thinking at the time because she's hurting so about trying to get this child for herself. But God has a greater glory and a greater good in the midst of what he's doing. She can't see it, and oftentimes we can't see it, but that is the case. And so she's going from her hurt now to hope. And as she's prayed and she's calling out to the Lord, I want to let you understand that the Lord is going to give her a level of hope in the midst of this hurt, but it's not going to be just for her.

Eli sees her here and he says this after she corrects his erroneous assumption and assessment of the situation. And I love the fact that Eli was willing to admit and humble himself. The Bible tells us that Eli answered and said, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him." Oh, I like that. He says, "Hannah, you've been hurting, you've been carrying this pain," he says, "but I want you to get up and I want you to leave out of here and go in peace with the peace of God." Because he is in the office of the priest, he could declare and speak this blessing over her life, and it was given to her. And as a result of all of this, I want to let you know that God is going to do something special in the life of Hannah. What is this? He's going to give her what she asked of him.

Hannah's going to go out and when she leaves, verse 19 is going to let us know her and Elkanah have relations and she conceived. And the Bible tells us the Lord remembered her. Some of us know, some of us have been in places and we say, "You know what? I don't know what happened, but the Lord remembered. I had been praying, I had been asking, had been seeking, and finally the Lord remembered."

In due time, Hannah conceived and she gave birth to a son. The Bible says in verse 20, she named him Samuel because "I have asked him of the Lord." God gave her this son. Here it is here with Hannah. Hannah gives birth to little Samuel, and I love this, I love this, because she gives birth to him and then she raises him and she gives him back to the Lord. Hannah is going to sing her song, and that song is the song of praise and she gives God praise. Why does she give him praise? Because God has answered her prayer.

Hannah here brings little Samuel and she brings him to the temple and she commits him to the Lord, and she believes that God is going to allow him to be raised in the fear and admonition, and that's what happened to Samuel. What happens now? Samuel is the one who brings Israel from the dark period of the judges to the monarch, to the kings. He's the first one to anoint Saul and then he anoints David as king, and he had a heart for God.

You see, oftentimes it's hard for us to trust God when we don't see where God is taking us. And I'm here to tell you that you, moms, you have to trust God even sometimes we don't see the outcome, and that's exactly what Hannah had to do. Hannah had to say, "I'm going through this thing but I'm going to trust, keep calling out, keep praying, and although people think I'm shameful, I'm an embarrassment, think I'm a drunk, and I have to go through this ridicule, I'm going to trust the God who's able to sustain me." God wants us to trust him no matter what we go through. I say, "Lord, I trust you. Don't understand, don't enjoy, but Lord, I'm going to trust in you."

Guest (Male): Yes, may we all celebrate the mothers all around us. We hope that where there may be estrangement, God will provide healing and bring unity as you seek him for it. Please visit us online at rochecolemanministries.org. Feel free to ask a question or leave a prayer request or comment for us; we'd love to connect with you. You could also call us at 346-386-4621 or drop us an email at info@rochecolemanministries.org.

Friends, it's a special weekend, and we hope you'll fellowship with other believers as we celebrate our mothers. As we've shared before, Dr. Coleman is also senior pastor at Impact Church of the Woodlands in The Woodlands, Texas. If you live in the Woodlands, Spring, Conroe, Humble, and Houston areas, we hope you'll join us with your mom this coming Sunday. For church timings and location, please log on to www.myimpactchurch.org. We hope to see you this weekend. Let's read God's word and abide in him and always take a stand for God's design for our lives.