Hannah

 

1 Samuel 1

We don't know a whole lot about Hannah. We know her sister wife gave her a hard time about being barren. We know Hannah struggled hard herself with being barren. At the temple, she sought God's face in such a way she appeared drunk. Completely undignified and uncaring, she poured her heart out to the Savior, weeping bitterly. Have you ever wept bitterly? We're likely talking body shaking sobs here, gut wrenching to hear. There is no doubt that Hannah's desire for a child was deeply rooted. She was anguished over it, weeping bitterly. It attered to her a great deal.

1 Samuel 1:13-16

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 are you going to stay drunk? Put away 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.”

Eli thought she was a drunk, a crazy person. He thought she'd been hitting the bottles too hard. She was so distraught in her desire for a child she seemed as if she was drunk. Process that for a minute. Think about what drunkenness looks like and how she may have appeared. Put yourself in Eli's shoes. She was likely unsteady on her feet, if she even remained standing. We know she had tears streaming down her face. We know she was deeply troubled, anguished, grieved, miserable, and weeping bitterly. The woman was an absolute disaster. She was hurting in a major way. She was likely wailing, probably rocking in some way. Greatly distressed. Eli didn't get it. He chastised and told her to leave the bottles alone.

This hurting soul wasn't drunk though. She poured out her heavy burden to God. Poured out her tears as an offering.

1 Samuel 1:10-11

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on 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.”

"Remember me." The note in my Bible says, "to remember is more than simply to recall that Hannah existed. It is to go into action on her behalf." "Remember me." Please God in Heaven remember me, move on my behalf because your servant is broken, hurting, and distraught. Have you ever been Hannah? Have you ever had something so heavy on your heart that all you can do is pour it out on His feet and beg for Him to remember you?

Eli may have started out not getting it, but Hannah's words showed him the depth of her pain.

1 Samuel 1:17

Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

Peace. Such a precious thing is peace. For Hannah, I can only imagine how these words made her feel. Well, I can more than imagine. Feeling His peace in turmoil is something I have experienced. To walk away from the tabernacle expectant instead of downcast, I can feel the relief. Being heard and knowing that the prayers were in the works is a palpable thing. Her baby didn’t arrive immediately, but she knew she’d been heard.

1 Samuel 1:20

So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the LORD for him.”

Matthew 7:7

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Hannah received her blessing in Samuel. She cherished the time she had with him and poured into him while she was able. She remained home from the annual sacrificing until he was weaned, which at this time was roughly three years or so. I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried to stretch that out as long as possible. Hannah knew what was coming. She knew this precious child she’d prayed for so wholeheartedly wasn’t hers to keep. She knew she’d have to give him back.

1 Samuel 1:27-28

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.

Hannah took this precious little thing and dedicated him back to God. You may not be a parent but maybe you are. I want you to try and wrap your head about this. We’re not talking a teenager that’s sassy and in their own little world. We’re talking a three or four year old child that still very much so wants to be with Mom and wants to stay close. We’re talking a freshly weaned child that until now hadn’t been far away from her. Imagine the emotions, both for Hannah and for Samuel. Talk about ripping your heart out. I’m sure Samuel cried as Hannah walked away and Eli had to hold him to keep him from running after her. I’m sure Hannah sobbed. I have no doubt that it was one of the hardest things she had ever done.

1 Samuel 2:11

Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy ministered before the LORD under Eli the priest.

My empathetic heart just breaks when I think about it. It’s a difficult thing to let go of something you love but here’s what Hannah knew. She knew God’s peace; she knew God’s grace. I believe she knew God’s strength in all of it. She knew God’s provision and she knew God’s love. She saw Samuel as the blessing that he was and knew that he was never truly hers to begin with. Imagine if Hannah had taken Samuel and hidden him away and not taken him back to Shiloh. Imagine if she had been selfish, as it would’ve been so incredibly easy to do. If she’d kept Samuel to herself, look at all the blessings that would’ve been missed. Look at Samuel’s life and the things God accomplished through him. Look at how God used him, from even a young age.

God’s will is always going to prevail. If Hannah had tried to keep Samuel, God would’ve accomplished His purpose in another way. His Word does not return to Him void. However, by Hannah recognizing that Samuel was not hers to begin with, the blessings this precious baby brought the rest of the world were numerous. If she’d been selfish, the whole trajectory would’ve changed. Obedience brings peace. God has never promised us a lack of hard emotions. He has never promised that it would be smooth sailing or that it will all be easy. Quite the opposite.

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

He has promised us again and again that He cares for us. He has told us over and over that He will provide. For Hannah to leave her precious baby with Eli had to have been an incredibly difficult thing. The peace the comes from following God’s will though is irreplaceable. Even through hard times, even when it seems crazy, even when it seems all hope is lost, that peace passes all understanding. Remembering that everything that we have is not truly ours anyway allows us to be open to His will and moving within His design. Samuel was a mighty prophet and God used him in so many different ways. Imagine how one woman’s decision, however understandable, would have impacted the trajectory of so very many things.

How is God calling me to walk in faith even if it’s uncomfortable? How is He trying to lead me to obedience? It’s not an easy thing sometimes. It usually requires pain and difficulty, but the rewards are always worth it. Always. We may never know how our obedience, or our disobedience, will affect the path of all of those around us. I want to have faith like Hannah. I want to be willing to follow God’s leading regardless of what others think or say. I want to be willing despite everything.

Lord, match my heart and my will to yours.