Source unknown. Eli and Hannah.
Hannah was far more spiritual than her husband and she was far more godly than the old priest, Eli not to mention his wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas. I believe that God raises up godly women to fill the gap created by unspiritual men.
Hannah was a woman of prayer. Prayer was a regular feature of her life and not just a way out when she was in trouble. She prayed earnestly from the heart.
She was very upset as she prayed to the Lord, and she was weeping uncontrollably. Now Hannah was speaking from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli therefore thought she was drunk. [1 Samuel 1:10, 13 NET]
This is not saying prayers. This is not following a routine which we do each day - or most days when we remember. Her prayer is real. She is expressing the deep emotions of her heart. She is sharing her burden with the Lord. She was silent even though her lips were moving. Hannah has a living relationship with God. She is able to come into God's presence and completely unburden herself. There is no sham or pretence. She is sharing with the Lord the hurt which she has been feeling for so long. She is telling the Lord of the anguish she experiences each day because she has not given birth to a child.
Of course, the Lord saw her distress. The Lord was fully aware of the taunts of her rival for her husband's affection. Peninnah might have taunted Hannah when Elkanah was not present to witness, although he clearly knew that Hannah's barrenness was causing her distress. But God heard every nasty remark that Peninnah uttered and he saw the smug look on her face. But God delighted to hear Hannah share her burden so honestly and openly. Hannah was not pretending to be 'fine' - the bland, meaningless word we use when we are asked the equally meaningless question, "How are you?" Hannah was not fine - she was emotionally wrecked and she held nothing back from God.
Hannah loved the Lord. She enjoyed close fellowship with God and her prayers brought pleasure to God. Hannah is prepared to give her son back to God. She makes a vow that if God will give her a son, she will dedicate him to the Lord. This is a real sacrifice. She will not be able to enjoy watching her son grow up. There will be many miles between them and no way of communicating with him. He will not be able to take selfies while eating a meal at a restaurant and share them with his doting mother. Hannah will be away up in the isolation of Ramah up in the hillside with the narcissistic Elkanah and the sarcastic Peninnah while Samuel would be at the tent of meeting at Shiloh.
God answered her prayer. Hannah gave birth to a son and Hannah duly gave him back to the Lord after he was weaned. Although this must have been a huge personal loss for her, Hannah had the compensation of knowing that she was following God's will. Samuel was a great prophet and priest who served the Lord faithfully. Like Timothy in the New Testament, Samuel owed so much to the godly influence of his dear mother. I can relate to Samuel. I had a godly mother (and father too).
What ambitions do we have for our children? Do we want them to do well at school and get into a profession where they will achieve success in life and be rewarded with a comfortable lifestyle? Would we be disappointed if our children chose to serve the Lord in a remote location somewhere in Africa or South America or an island in the Pacific? Do we involve God in our future plans for our children? Do we have a close relationship with God like Hannah?
Comments