Hannah’s dilemma

 Photo credit: PinkStock Photos

Sometimes the Bible seems far removed from the reality of our daily lives. I’ve just read Ezekiel and it made me feel a bit like I was swimming through treacle at times.

But the more I read the more relevant it becomes. The story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1, for example, is interesting and helpful to any woman.

So what’s the story?

Well Hanna is married to Elkanah, but has to share him with his other wife Peninnah. To add insult to injury, Peninnah has a brood of kids – often considered a mark of God’s blessing – while Hannah is unable to conceive.

There is one consolation for poor Hannah; her husband seems to really love her (1 Samuel 1:4 and 8). But this isn’t enough to fill the void of childlessness, particularly with Peninnah continually rubbing her face in it (1 Samuel 1:6). She often wept and went without food because she was so downhearted (1 Samuel 1:7).

But life changes for Hannah following a ‘chance’ encounter with Eli the priest. Eli initially thinks the weeping woman has had a few too many, but soon realises she is just overcome with grief and is silently crying out to God. The priest tells her to go in peace, saying “may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him” (1 Samuel 1:17).

And God does exactly that. It’s not long before she’s holding her very own son Samuel (meaning ‘God has heard’) in her arms. But the story doesn’t end there. Hannah had made a vow to God that if she should be blessed with a much longed for son she would “give him to the Lord for all the days of his life” (1 Samuel 1:11). And that’s exactly what she does.

So what does this tell us about God?

1. He hears our prayers (Psalm 28:6)
2. He gives us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4)
3. He sometimes allows us to suffer for a period so that we draw nearer to him and give our lives and futures into his hands
4. He brings important people in to our lives at just the right time
5. He is gracious – Hannah went on to have three sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21)

What does it tell us about Hannah?

1. She is a normal woman who desperately wants a thriving family
2. She persists in prayer, even though she is barren “year after year” (1 Samuel 1:7)
3. She believes what Eli tells her and stands on his word in faith (1 Samuel 1:18)
4. She fulfils her vow to God and gives him great thanks and praise for answering her prayers (1 Samuel 1:24-28; 1 Samuel 2:1-10)
5. Her faithfulness results in the ascendancy of an awesome man of God who powerfully influences Israel’s history (1 Samuel 2:26). He goes on to become a great prophet and judge, and is tasked by God to anoint both Saul and David as kings

So what can we learn from this?

1. God’s timing isn’t always the same as ours. We need to keep pressing in until we get an answer to prayer
2. We should surround ourselves with wise people who can reassure us with the Word and bolster our faith (Proverbs 13:20)
3. If we make a promise to God we should fulfil it (Deuteronomy 23:21; Ecclesiastes 5:4)
4. We should be extremely thankful for everything God has done in our lives, and for the things we believe he is going to do (Psalm 100:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
5. We should expect great things – Samuel far exceeded Hannah’s expectations

If you don’t know what your ‘Samuel’ is, what your heart is really yearning for, ask God to reveal it to you. Then keep your eye on the prize and wait patiently for God to bring it about. And when he does, make sure you pass on the good news.

The power and impact of our testimonies – however insignificant they might seem to us – is often much greater than we think. If we just keep what God in our lives to ourselves, we are potentially robbing others of similar blessings. Part of our thanksgiving should be telling people just how incredible he is (Isaiah 12:5).

Read more about powerful women of God - some from the Bible and others who are alive today - in the next issue of Liberti magazine.