God and Hagar

When we speak of single mothers, we are not referring to the marital status a child’s mother. Nor am I talking about those women who have decided for the child that the father is not necessary. We are not discussing those mothers that believe that Fatherhood is a nonessential role in child rearing. The single mothers whom we are speaking about understand the role fathers, however, the father is not fulfilling this role. They realize they need help, they want help, they desire help but there is no help around.

When we speak of single mothers, we are speaking about those mothers who rear their children single-handedly. They are responsibile for their children physical, educational and emotional needs, exclusively. They have to bear the burden of the joys of raising children alone. Perhaps they receive assistance from somewhere, but the whole responsibility of the child’s welfare falls on them and them alone. They train their children in the way without a partner in the process, without a co-trainer, without a mate who is willing to shoulder the operation of preparation with them. They are Single Mothers.

Therefore, based on this definition of single motherhood, you can be married and still be a single mother. (I wish I had a witness right here.) Some married mothers know what I am describing. Every morsel of bread the child eats, they prepare. Every stitch of clothing the child wears, they bought. They tuck the child in at every night and wake them up every morning. They teaching them the Lord’s Prayer and their ABC’s. They are the homework checkers and the carpool drivers. They coach the little league baseball team and bake brownies for PTA’s. Everything the child needs, this mother provides single-handedly. Daddy may be sitting right there, but he does not lift a finger to help. Perhaps I need to put a note here: THIS IS A MOTHER’S DAY SERMON AND NOT A FATHER BASHING DAY SERMON.

Perhaps the children are not his, he only wanted a wife. Perhaps, they have worked out a deal that she nurture her children alone. Perhaps she was a bit overbearing at the beginning and would not allow the father to participate in the early, formative years of the child. Now, both of them are dissatisfied with the arrangement but don’t know how to rectify the situation. Regardless of the whys the fact remains, she finds herself as a single mother.

The magnificent thing about the Bible is that it is not reluctant to describe the most honored heroes and heroines in a positive and negative light. Biblical record allows us to see the good, the bad and the ugly of many of the heroes of faith. Moses, the deliverer of the children of Israel, the servant of God, the writer of the first five books of the Bible is pictured as a murderer and afraid to accept the call of God. David, a man after God’s own heart, established Jerusalem as the city of God, Shepherd-King of Israel and the writer of the 23rd numbered Psalm, is vividly described as an adulterer and a murderer. Even the apostle Peter does not escape intense scrutiny of the God’s Word. Peter is portrayed as hot-tempered, big-mouthed, and short-sighted, however, the Bible is careful to show God using Peter on the Day of Pentecost, healing a cripple man and opening the Church’s doors to the Gentiles.

The Bible means what it says in Romans 3:10 (KJV) "there is none righteous, no,