MOM - The Unsung Hero - May 8th 2016

 A mother's relentless love and unwavering prayers has saved more lives and done more good on earth than any other human activity in the history of the world.

 So the Lord answers, “Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15 – GNB)

 Unsung heroes ____________________ others sacrificially and unconditionally

 “Cut the baby in half! That way each of you can have part of him.” “Please don’t kill my son,” the baby’s mother screamed. “Your Majesty, I love him very much, but give him to her. Just don’t kill him.” The other woman shouted, “Go ahead and cut him in half. Then neither of us will have the baby.” Solomon said, “Don’t kill the baby.” Then he pointed to the first woman, “She is his real mother. Give the baby to her.” (1 Kings 3:25-27 – CEV)

 Unsung heroes _____________________________ others bravely and selflessly

Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, instructed the Hebrew midwives kill all Hebrew boys as soon as they were born, but to let the girls live.  But the midwives feared God and didn’t obey the king—they let the boys live too . . . And God blessed the midwives because they were God-fearing women. So the people of Israel continued to multiply and to become a mighty nation . . . Then Pharaoh commanded all of his people to throw the newborn Hebrew boys into the Nile River . . .  There were at this time a Hebrew fellow and girl of the tribe of Levi who married and had a family, and a baby son was born to them. When the baby’s mother saw that he was an unusually beautiful baby, she hid him at home for three months. Then, when she could no longer hide him, she made a little boat from papyrus reeds, waterproofed it with tar, put the baby in it, and laid it among the reeds along the river’s edge . . .  A princess, one of Pharaoh’s daughters, came down to bathe in the river, and she spied the little boat among the reeds and sent one of the maids to bring it to her.  When she opened it, there was a baby! And he was crying. This touched her heart. “He must be one of the Hebrew children!” she said. Then the baby’s sister approached the princess and asked her, “Shall I go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”  “Yes, do!” the princess replied. So the little girl rushed home and called her mother!  “Take this child home and nurse him for me,” the princess instructed the baby’s mother, “and I will pay you well!” So she took him home and nursed him.  Later, when he was older, she brought him back to the princess and he became her son. (Exodus 1:23 – 2:7 – LB)

 Unsung heroes ______________________ in others spiritually and consistently

I remember your sincere and unqualified faith - the surrendering of your entire self to God with confident trust in His power, wisdom and goodness – it was a faith which first lived in the heart of your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am confident that it is in you as well. (2 Timothy 1:5 – Amp)

What a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! (2 Timothy 1:5 – Msg)

Peter immediately rushed over to the home of a woman named Mary. (Mary’s son, John Mark, would eventually become an important associate of the apostles.) A large group had gathered there to pray for Peter and his safety. (Acts 12:12 – Voice)

 AN UNSUNG HERO’S PRAYER