Series: Mother’s Day Messages
Sun am 8th May 2011 – Hazel and Kobus Swart
1 Sam 1:2-28; Ps 68:11; Prov. 31:10-31; 2 Kings 4:8-37; Mark 7:26-30
Hazel: My message today is to encourage you all; it doesn’t matter what age you are, it’s never too late to start something.
The LORD had closed Hannah’s womb. She went to the house of the Lord and wept before God, asking Him to give her a son. God opened her womb and Hannah gave birth to Samuel (‘heard of God’). Hannah honored her vow to dedicate her son to the Lord and she brought the boy to Eli the priest. This speaks to me of a mother who trusted God so much with her child and took a step of faith. Samuel became one of the greatest prophets in the bible.
I wonder, as mothers, how soon we feel we are ready to let go of our children and dedicate them up to God and stand back and leave them there; to have the faith that God will take care of them.
I want to encourage every mother who is struggling with a child who’s not walking with God, or who is walking with God – to put them safely in God’s hands. He can handle them better than we can. When we overstep that boundary, when we go on too long, or hold on too closely to our children – we lose ourselves as wives and as mothers, and we lose our children.
Does my life stop after my children have left home? Sometimes we lose ourselves in the role of wife and mother and we forget that we were born as individuals – with a calling, a destiny. Before we were married and had children, God had a plan for us. When you lose yourself, you lose your identity. God has a specific purpose for you. It takes courage to say, ‘I have a calling. I have something within me that God has put there. I have a gift within me, and I am going to be brave enough and bold enough to walk in that gift and that calling.’
I want to stir you today. You need to look deep inside, to see what the gift is, that God has given you as women. A scripture in Psalm 68 says the Lord spoke the Word; and great was the company of women that published it (Ps 68:11). Publish means, ‘speak it out – show forth – make it plain to see.’ That’s our job – to show this side of God to the world – the Christ that’s within us.
We all have a creative gift within us. Whether writing, painting, dancing, singing or becoming a business woman that comes with ideas; whatever it is that you love, and comes easy to you.
You cannot be effective in the corporate unless you know who you are, know where you’re going to function –showing the world. You’ve got a very important part to play. You need a God-confidence. God has made you an amazing, unique woman.
The Proverbs 31 woman was gifted. Every gift that God gives us, everything that you can do – if you enjoy doing it, then do it, and bless people with it. Become fulfilled in the gift that God has given you. Don’t listen to the voices that say, ‘you’re wasting time.’ Have the courage and the boldness to take what God has given you. Surround yourself with people who encourage you.
Kobus: The Shunammite woman and her husband built a guest room in their home for Elisha the prophet. She was childless and asked the prophet for a son. Just as Elisha had said, she gave birth to a son. Later on when the child died (some demonic assault?), Elisha raised him from the dead. The Shunammite woman’s hospitality had activated the anointing of the prophet.
Women are not to be seen as third-rate citizens – in any church, family or organization. ‘In Christ’ there is no preference to the man, or to the woman. When God created Adam and Eve, He created ‘them’ in His image. They both represent God – God is male and female.
I’m looking for an initiative to come from the women in Bizweni. I need something that will activate the prophetic, like the Shunammite woman did. She activated the prophetic anointing in Elisha, by her hospitality. In the end she was blessed with a son. There is a prophetic initiative in you as well that should come to the fore. I encourage the women in Bizweni to come forward – with their hospitality and their hearts reaching out, they’re going to activate a greater prophetic function in the house.
Your submission can actually put a “pressure” on the person that you submit to, to respond. You can by your submission – for example – activate your husband to take his role. I want the women to come forward and bring that God-contribution that you have. Bring it to the table; we really need you. Hannah, in her submission and reverence to God and His anointed priest – even though he was old and almost without anointing – activated the prophetic in him. I’m talking about a spirit that recognizes God’s order. She activated this prophet, and she got a son. What a wonderful picture of an interceding mother.
The Syrophoenician woman in Mark Chapter 7 had a daughter that was demon possessed. She came to Jesus and He first chased her away, saying the bread is for the children of Israel, not for the Gentiles. She came and insisted; she wanted His attention. That is aggressive submission. He gave her the miracle she wanted – at that moment, her daughter was delivered of the demon.
Ladies, we need your gracious, sweet anointing to fill this house. You’ve got something that men don’t have. I want you to come and take your place next to the men. Come alongside – and allow a sweet fragrance to fill this house. Visitors will sense a touch that is unique, because of your contribution.