Hannah

I have been avoiding Hannah for the last few days because she is so close to my heart. Many of you know that Kyle and I decided to try to start a family this past fall. My heart was aching for a child and working with children was becoming increasingly difficult. That's when I re-discovered Hannah and her prayer in 1 Samuel. I prayed as Hannah prayed. The next day I found out that I was pregnant. I was overjoyed!! Kyle and I began dreaming and praying and planning. I found out that I was already 4 1/2 weeks along and quickly figured out the due date of June 3, 2010. However, God had other plans. Two weeks before Thanksgiving, during our second ultrasound, we discovered that the baby stopped developing. This ordeal has rocked me to the core in many areas of my life and soul. I now have another prayer - for my child in Heaven. However, Hannah has remained close to my heart. I keep telling myself what Hannah's husband asked of her in verse 8, "Don't I mean more to you than 10 sons?" Hannah is an inspiration to me and I hope she is an inspiration to you.

Here is a quote from the book Life Principles From The Women Of The Bible, to set-up the time in which Hannah was living:

The events in the life of Hannah, recorded in 1 Samuel, occurred... close to the period of the judges, just prior to the period of the monarchy beginning with the choice of Saul as king (1051 BC). It was a period of spiritual decline and corruption. Israel was marked by a wandering heart. The final verse of Judges summarizes it well, "In those days there was no king of Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). It is during this time that we are introduced to the family of Hannah.

Scriptures:

1 Samuel 1:2-8

He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD. Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. Elkanah her husband would say to her, "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?"

1 Samuel 1:10-11,13-16

In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head." Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine." "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."

1 Samuel 1:18-20

She said, "May your servant find favor in your eyes." Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the LORD for him."

Hannah's husband, Elkanah, was from the tribe of Levi. In verses 3-5 we are able to see that they are a devout family. In a time when Israel was going their own way and falling away from God, this family continued to go sacrifice to God.

Peninnah used Hannah's bareness as a way to provoke Hannah. Year after year Hannah not only faced Peninnah and her children, but had to endure Peninnah's mean words. Peninnah provoked her until she "wept and would not eat." It is interesting to me that Hannah never lashed back. That is something that I need to learn. Although she was hurt she never said nasty words back to Peninnah. Instead, she turned to God and prayed. She prayed so hard that it appeared as if she was drunk. Instead she said, "I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief." It was after praying that she "ate something and her face was no longer downcast." Prayer does that for me. When I'm sad or troubled and I pray, I no longer feel sad or troubled. The world looks a bit brighter.

After she poured out her soul to the Lord and "was no longer downcast" that the Lord remembered her and she conceived a son. When Samuel was old enough to be weened she gave him over to the priest. She dedicated him to God. In her faithfulness she conceived more children as well.

We are all, at times, in a state of barrenness (no husband/wife, no job, no children, no friends, etc). Are you resentful or are you simply burdened down with the weight of circumstances you never dreamed you would face? If so, I urge you to turn to God in prayer. I have had to do that a lot these last few weeks.

Hannah had a heart of worship - gratefully receiving the life God gives and, in turn, wholeheartedly giving that life back to Him. When we surrender to the Lord and His will, we will truly be satisfied from the inside Hannah. That is what we see in Hannah. Another great verse that fits here is Romans 5:3-5.

Prayer:

Lord, I thank You that You care for me just like You cared for Hannah. Thank You for the humbling circumstances You have either allowed or authored in my life. I admit many of them have hurt me. I can see some of the good that has come from the, but I admit I don't see all the good yet. I thank You for what I can see, and I choose to trust You for what I can't see. What is most important is that You see. That's what matters. I thank You that You see me - my circumstances, my "barrenness," my relationships, and my longings. Teach me to pray, to surrender, and to live in the blessing You give. I pray this int he name of Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.