LIFE SCRIPTS

1 Samuel 1:1-20 NIV
[1] There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. [2] He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. [3] 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. [4] 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. [5] But to Hannah, he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. [6] Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. [7] 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. [8] Her husband Elkanah 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?” [9] Once, when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli, the priest, was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. [10] In her deep anguish, Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. [11] 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.” [12] As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. [13] Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk [14] and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” [15] “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. [16] Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” [17] Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” [18] She said, “May your servant find favour in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. [19] Early the next morning, they arose and worshipped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. [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.”

Elkanah and Hannah were people committed to Jehovah. Just imagine them making their way to Shiloh every year non stop to sacrifice and worship God. Scripture aludes to Elkanah loving Hannah more than Peninnah, which means that Hannah’s woes also pierced Elkanah. He must have had a desire for a child between them. However, this did not make him divorce his wife. He stood by her side. But an interesting situation was also playing out in Shiloh. Eli, the high priest, had delegated some responsibilities to his sons. Nothing seems to be wrong with that now that the priestly office was generational. However, after offering their sacrifices and prayers, Hannah seemed to stay behind and continue tarrying in God’s presence. She seemed to pour out her heart in anguish, and this caught the attention of Eli, the priest. Elkanah seemed to be just a member of the community going to seek God. His family didn’t seem to be esteemed in any way. We see this from the way Eli responds to Hannah upon noticing her pray. In those days, intercession was the work of priests, yet God seemed to listen to Hannah even though she poured out her heart without an intermediary. Probably, it was a sign of things to come. Just as it’s said in Hebrews 1, in the old days, priests stood between us and God. But today, the gates of heaven are open for anyone to call upon God through the man Christ Jesus. Hannah’s prayers were no simple mumblings. They were definite, focused, and resolute. She asked for a child from God and offered him to Him as a sign of appreciation. Does it ring a bell? God offered His Son to us a payment for our sins. However, in this case, Hannah was offering up her son in service to God. Now we learn later that Hannah had other children apart from Samuel. But at this stage, she was childless yet still desiring to offer the child God blesses her with to service. Probably, that’s what God is calling us to do. To offer what He’s about to bless us with to Him because it belongs to Him anyway. But God is calling us to a walk of faith. He’s calling upon us to exercise faith in the things we are trusting Him for. He’s calling on us to have a stubborn faith contrary to reality. For that woman struggling to conceive, He’s just a prayer away. But lastly, Hannah travails in prayer while in God’s house. Of course, God would have heard her in her home. But the location still mattered. She went to God’s house to offer a prayer. How many times do I attend prayer meetings in church? Of course, church isn’t perfect, but it still remains God’s house. We honour God when we go to His house and offer supplications of the things we are trusting Him for.