2. Hannah’s Prayer—1 Samuel 2:1-10

Then Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. "Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. "The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away. "The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. "For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's; upon them he has set the world. He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. "It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth. "He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed."

Hannah prayed this prayer of thanks as well s prayed for others right after leaving her son in the tabernacle. Reading about Hannah lets us know that hse was a woman who prayed during bad times as well a s good times. She prayed while she had joy and while she had affliction.How do we talk to God? We talk to him through prayer.

B. Listening To God

Mary Magdalene was a woman who listened to the Lord.

1.a. The Lord spoke to Mary—Mark 16:9-10

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping.

1.b. The Lord spoke to Mary—John 20:10-18

Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' " Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

b. At first Mary did not recognize Him, she mistook Him for a gardener. But He called her by her name and she saw the truth of the moment, she gasped “Master.” She saw and she recognized. Not only did she see and recognize who He was, but when he told her to go and tell His disciples that He was returning to His father, she did just that … She told them what He had told her to say.

Both Hannah and Mary were faithful women and the Lord rewarded them for their faithfulness. The Lord blessed Hannah with three more sons after Samuel. Mary became the first person to witness the resurrected Christ, which was an honor granted to had fully given her life to the Lord.How does the Lord speak to us today so that we are able to listen to Him? He speaks to us through His Word.“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be fully equipped for every good work.” II Timothy 3:16

The second point: We Must Be Tune With Others

Jesus told His disciples in John 13:34-35.

A new command I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

To love one another, one of the things we need to do is tune into that person and meet their needs. There are always needs that need to be met daily. The Bible is full of instruction on what we should be doing for others, but I will be focusing on just a few.

We are to:

1. Feed the hungry—Matthew 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 

2. Clothe the people who need clothing—Matthew 25:36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, 

3. Look after the sick—Matthew 25:36 I was sick and you looked after me, 

4. Visit the people in prison—Matthew 25:36 I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 

5. Older women teach the younger women how to be godly women—Titus 2:3-5  Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

6. Obey our leaders and submit to their authority—Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

7. Look after orphans and widows— James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. 

I listed above just a few examples of what is expected of us as a Christian. Remember this, it is our actions, our work, that demonstrates our love and the love of Christ to others.

Tuning Into Others and Meeting Their Needs

Now I want you to think of the word “tune”. Have you ever listened to a radio that was full of static and you had to try to tune in to it so you could hear what it was saying. Well often when it comes to people we have to do the same. In most cases people may not come out and say what it is that they are in need of, however, we must listened as they talk and tune ourselves in to what is being said between the lines to fully meet their need.

Dorcas (Tabitha) is known as the “Woman Full Of Good Works.” She was known throughout Joppa for her Charity.

1. She helped the poor and the widows—Acts 9:36-39

In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.Dorcas used her hands to show her love. She made things. She loved the poor and the widows by sewing clothes for them.

2. Raised from the dead; many believed in the Lord—Acts 9:40-42

Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

The Lord was pleased with Dorcas. Her used her life to show his love through her and to her. It was because of her good works that Jesus became known in Joppa-simply because she sewed. Because of her return to life many people in Joppa believed in Christ.

Conclusion

When I used the opening sentence stating that God can use an ordinary woman to accomplish the extraordinary, these three women are good examples. Hannah was a barren woman, Mary Magdalene was a demon possessed woman, and Dorcas was a sewer, yet God was able to use each of them for His glorification. There are many ways to communicate love. God has preachers to preach, and teachers to teach so that the love can go from person to person, however not everyone is good with words. Some are good with their hands and hands can do much: they caress, stroke, wipe away tears, and work. Our hands can be instruments to demonstrate love in the lives of others, and if you really look at the list above, with the works of our hands we can do each and everything listed.

Let me also add that we must find quiet time to listen and talk to God. Take a moment to thank God for making you the woman that you are. Tell Him that you too, want to be near Him, and ask how you might serve Him today, as we look forward to that great day when the Lord will return.

May God Bless You And Keep You,

Sis. Mary Harden (EMBC Women’s Ministry Director)