Hannah the wife of Elkanah, who persevered insults, speculation that she was infertile, and Peninnah’s envy that caused her great torment for years, is a great blueprint on patience and persistence.
Hannah went through many years of constant mocking on her inability to become pregnant but she demonstrated grace by applying these 7 lessons:
- Desisting and Holding her tongue from being so nasty and so rude: Hannah showed unmatched restraint with her words. For years upon years, Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, ridiculed Hannah for her infertility but instead of responding to her, Hannah prayed up. Resilience. https://thelovetablet.com/2022/06/28/5-ways-of-desisting-the-tongue-from-being-so-nasty-and-so-rude/
This reminds me of when at the age of between 16 and 18, I wore a decent and the most trending attire at the time, the Dungaree, for a church service. Bad idea. Not only did the church priest keep glancing at my side of sitting but he gave an example of how young people were being lured into wearing farmers/work overalls by the West.
First off, it was the it- the denim Dungaree that made you effortless cool. A fashion statement.
Secondly, I was flustered and shamed by the pitying stares from my neighbors- men and women who knew me as naive and a good Godfearing girl from the WaKiarie’s family.
Thirdly, I was decent, looked modest and good. Anyway God spoke to me to not pay it attention. No way was I going to let my thoughts or tongue declare unfathomable nastiness and rudeness-I was also very naive and young.
Nonetheless, I continued to attend church less my dungarees and embraced the long velvet turkey skirts, hipsters and my grunge shirts that were in fashion.
And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 1 Samuel 1:6-7
2. Praying to a point of being accused of drunkenness: Hannah at God’s temple was in such distress that she mouthed her prayer silently. Eli, the priest saw her and thought she had taken one too many! Fearless.
"Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. Making a vow, she pleaded, 'LORD of Hosts, if You will take notice of Your servant's affliction, remember and not forget me, and give Your servant a son, I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.' While she was praying in the LORD's presence, Eli watched her lips. Hannah was speaking to herself, and although her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk." 1 Samuel 1:10-13
3. Defence or offence? Hannah was not offended by Eli-she knew his priestly authority. Once Hannah explained herself to Eli, he upon understanding the situation, reassured her of God’s intention to answer her prayer for a son. Maturity. https://thelovetablet.com/2022/06/07/punching-that-grudge-to-embrace-forgiveness-2/#comment-1
“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 answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him” 1 Samuel 1:15-17.
4. A woman of her word: Hannah promised God that if he gave her a son, she would dedicate him to the priest. God honored her diligence and patience, and Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son, Samuel, whom she weaned and took to the temple at the appropriate age. She kept her vow. Integrity.
After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 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. 1 Samuel 1:24-28.
5. It’s raining kids- Halleluyah! Hannah continued to visit Samuel as he grew into a man of God. She was also blessed with more children, three sons and two daughters- six in total! Talk of faithing it till you make it and getting multiple for your trouble. https://thelovetablet.com/2022/04/19/faith-it-till-you-secure-the-bag/
“Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, ‘May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord’. 1 Samuel 2:20.the LORD visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before the LORD. 1 Samuel 2:21
6. Balling in the joy of changing diapers and that love drip: Hannah moved from tears of barrenness to tears of a happy mother of children. Oh, and that continuos never ending love from that Elkanah- the huge teddy bear husband whose cup of love kept overflowing even when having children was an important part of the culture then.
Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why don't you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?" 1 Samuel 1:8 ...but to Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her womb. 1 Samuel 1:5
7. Hannah proves that God knows hearts. We get to learn that everything happens for a reason and trust in Him is never misplaced.
And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. “There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn… 1 Samuel 2:1-10 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the Lord.” So then they would return to their home. 1 Samuel 2:20 Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the young man Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord. 1 Samuel 2:21She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 1 Samuel 1:10 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 1 Samuel 1:24 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ... Luke 1 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 1 Samuel 1:19He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world. 1 Samuel 2:8
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