May 1, 2005

Girls Rule

Where Are You Looking?

I Samuel 1:3-23

Opening Words: Today, we will look at sermon number four in an eight part sermon series I have called “Girls Rule.” For eight weeks we will look at eight different women in the Bible. Sometimes the women are positive models. For example, we looked at Lydia last week. Sometimes these women have a few growing edges. We have also looked at the woman at the well and Sapphira. Today, we are going to look at one of the most positive role models in the Bible, Hannah, the mother of Samuel.

Carl Perkins once said, “If it were not for the rocks in its bed, the stream would have no song.” Perhaps, that quote summarizes Hannah’s life. Her story begins in hardship. She is unable to conceive a child causing hardship and isolation. However, from those difficult beginnings comes a faith is that cannot be overlooked. Let us hear these words together.

Introduction

Many years ago a young midwestern lawyer suffered with depression. His friends decided it was best to remove all the sharp objects in his life so he couldn’t hurt himself. He questioned his own life’s calling. During that period in his life he wrote, “I am the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I am afraid I will not.” But somehow, from somewhere, Abraham Lincoln found those words of encouragement he needed and went on to became the sixteenth president of the United States.

This is my question for you today. Have you ever felt like a failure? Do you feel like a failure in your professional life? Your dreams and your reality never came close. One day your career turned into a job, one you hate. Have you ever felt like you missed God’s calling for your life? Do you feel like a failure in your personal life? Your brothers and your sisters have a bigger house than you. Are you afraid the person next to you will discover how many times you have been married? Is the biggest secret in your life the balance on your credit cards? Have you ever felt like a failure because your nose or your hips are too big? Do you feel like a failure as a parent or a grandparent? Do you feel like a failure because you can never find the right words? Have you ever felt like a failure because you can’t give your family everything they want?  Have you ever felt like a failure?

Today, we look at one of the great women in the Bible. You can ask anyone and they will tell you that she was great. But if you ask Hannah, herself, and she will tell you she was a failure. Let us look at her story together.

Body

We are in the first chapter of First Samuel. We are told in the first verse that there was a man by the name of Elkanah. Verse two tells us he had two wives! (My question is, “why?”) Polygamy was permitted and limitedly practiced in those days. There are several reasons. One reason was it assured the man’s name would remain alive. Often when a first wife failed to produce a son a second wife was taken. This seems to be the case in this story. One of his wives had children. The other wife had none.

To our modern ears the word “childless” has lost its sting. There are many young couples that have chosen not to have children. In our world having children is a choice. To Hannah’s world not having a male child was not an option. To say it bluntly Hannah felt like a failure. She was a disappointment to her family and herself. Hannah’s story reminds us that there are many who feel incomplete and inadequate.

Have you ever felt like a failure? When you feel like a failure you can’t help but keep your eyes on yourself. You see the details of your life but you fail to see the big picture. My goal today is to help you see the big picture. Perhaps, this is the day that you move from being a failure to a success! Today, I am going to ask you to stop looking at yourself and look at something new. The first thing you need to do is look away. The second thing you need to do is look above. The third thing you need to do is look ahead. Each one is illustrated in Hannah’s story. So if you are tired of feeling like a failure and are ready to feel like a success then say, “Amen!”

Look Away Annually Hannah went to Shiloh with her husband and her rival. It was only fifteen miles from their home. It was there the Ark of the Covenant was located. That annual trip was a time to worship and sacrifice to God. It should have been a happy time but it was a painful time for Hannah. She saw her rival’s children and compared them to the emptiness of her life. To emphasize her emptiness her rival harasses her to tears. Hannah was looking inward and she should have been looking away. How much time do you spend examining your own life? If you want to be unhappy then spend some time looking at yourself.

An anonymous writer suggested ten things that will guarantee your unhappiness. How many do you do?

1.     Make things bother you.

2.     Lose your perspective on things. Don’t put first things first.

3.     Worry about things that you cannot control.

4.     Be a perfectionist.

5.     Be right all the time.

6.     Don’t trust anything or anyone.

7.     Always compare yourself unfavorably with others.

8.     Take everything personally.

9.     Don’t give yourself wholeheartedly to anyone.

10.  Make unhappiness the theme of your life.

How many of those things do you do?

When you do those things you become out of balance. When you are consumed with yourself, other people’s opinions of you become too important. Hannah was driven to tears because of what other people said about her. When was the last time you were upset about what others said or thought about you? If there is one thing I have learned in the ministry it is you are not as good or as bad as they say. There are times when we need to look away.

Jim had a quick mind and a tender heart. He went to seminary and wanted to serve God in the local church. He had all the gifts to be a success. Today, he runs the local crises hot line and repairs lawn mowers on the side. He only served the local church for six months after graduation and ordination. Why? His mother told my mother he left the church because the church members where too critical. Jim learned a great deal at Vanderbilt Divinity School but he never learned to look away. 

Looking away is not escaping, avoiding or fleeing your critics. However, looking away is shutting down or brushing aside opinions that are unfair. Hannah put too much weight on her rival’s words. How much time do you spend looking at yourself? How much time do you spend worrying about what others say about you? There are times when we need to look away. If there are times when you need to look away then say, “Amen!”

Look Above According to First Samuel 1:9-16 Hannah takes her trouble to the Lord. She looked up. She prayed with such conviction that the priest, Eli, thinks she is drunk. How many situations do you know where people go to God when life seems out of their control?

I love the story of the old farmer who went to town one day. He drove his old pick-up truck and his old dog ran behind him. When the farmer got to town the dog was exhausted. The farmer’s friends gave him a hard time about the condition of his old dog. The farmer simply replied, “The dog is not tired out from running after me. He is tired from all the zigzagging. There wasn’t a gate or a hole he didn’t explore.” We have a lot of people like that old dog. How many are chasing the wrong thing in this world?

One of the great misunderstandings in our society today is that the church exists to complicate life with more rules and regulations. The truth is life is hard! The church exists to help you during those hard times. The church exists to teach you those Biblical models to protect you. If you don’t believe me then ask you two questions. First, who was there for you the last time your life got hard? (It was fellow church members.) Second, how many mistakes could you have eliminated in your life if you just would have followed the Biblical model? People who make poor choices in their lives seldom find the need for the church. (Maybe they should.) Life is hard! The church exists to help you through difficult times and to teach you Biblical models to protect you from future mistakes.

Hannah looked above to God. She didn’t complain to her husband, a friend or the priest. She looked to God. I believe she teaches us to look to God through all of life, both the good and the bad. If you believe you need to look to God a little more every day then say, “Amen!”

Look Ahead According to First Samuel 1:17-20 Eli gives Hannah some wise advice. He tells her to look ahead and don’t get stuck in the past. She takes his advice and moves forward. She gets something to eat. (Have you ever noticed when you are depressed you are hungry?) She wipes that frown off her face and she lives her life! How many people have not been able to work through a past crisis in their life?

In December 1917 Thomas Edison's manufacturing facilities in West Orange, New Jersey were nearly completely destroyed by a fire. Edison lost nearly one million dollars in equipment and all of his notes on his work. The next morning the sixty-seven year old inventor surveyed the damage. After a period of silence he looked at a friend and said, “All of our mistakes and failures have burned up. Now we can start anew.” How you handle the disappointments in your life, says a great deal about you.

Are you stuck in the past or are you living for today? This is a great day! I hope you are not missing it! Hannah looked ahead and you must do the same! If you need to look ahead, then say, “Amen!”

Conclusion

Have you ever felt like a failure? Or I am I the only one? The next time you feel like a failure you need to get your eyes off yourself and look at something new! First, you need to look away. You are not as good or as bad as they say. Second, you need to look above. Jesus didn’t come to complicate your life. He came to help you live your life. Third, you need to look ahead. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us be glad in it! And all of God’s successful people said, “Amen!”