Many years ago lived a woman called Hannah who was married to Elkanah;who also had another wife Peninnah. So Elkanah had two wives.
Hannah was a woman who longed to have at least a child of her own and the bible tells us how she went about her situation. I believe the Holy Spirit shares her story with us in order to help us through our “Hannah-like situations” and not necessarily when a woman or family seeks a child.
What Can we learn from Hannah’s Story?
In our quietness & Confident trust in God lies our strength:
Hannah lived with her husband and his wife Peninah who had children but instead of empathizing with Hannah and praying for her or along with her, Peninnah made fun of her and always tried to provoke her. I can only but imagine Hannah’s plight. The Bible tells us that she wept and many times ended up not eating. I Samuel 1:4-8. I perceive that those times when she was crying and not eating, she must have been talking to her God also to show up for her.
What does this point at for us as believers? When we are faced with challenges or at times when it seems like all our friends are ahead of us and some of them make spiteful or provoking comments, we do not necessarily need to engage in banters with them, or be spurred to fight with them. Your business is with God, you should go ahead and sought/sort it out with God; either by praying Hannah-like Prayers or Jabez-like prayers or Jacob-like prayers and the likes.
And when we pray to Him, be sure to listen to Him for His response and as well as confidently trust Him.
After she had prayed quietly but earnestly at shiloh, she received a word from the prophet, Eli and she was comforted and not downcast anymore. I samuel 1:17
In Our Weakness is God’s power & Timing made Perfect:
God’s wisdom is way beyond our comprehension but we can be rest assured that everything He does is for our greater good and ultimately to bring glory to His name. In I Samuel 1:5 , the bible tells us that God was the one responsible for closing Hannah’s womb. One would wonder why He would do so. But I am reminded of the blind man who was blind from birth who met with Jesus and the disciples asked Jesus why he was that way. Jesus responded saying, he was blind so that the great works of God may be made manifest though Him. John 9:1-3.
From these lives, we can see God’s powerful dimensions and ability to shut the human eyes, human womb or any aspect of one’s life and He also has the ability to open them as well. I do not have all the answers but God’s timing was and is always perfect!
Prophet Samuel, who was the miracle child Hannah had came right in time to take over from Prophet Eli and also to lead the Israelites. God is a strategic God, systemic in His ways and an amazing organizer and planner.
Therefore, let us trust God that whatever it is we may be going through, it’s in preparation for the glory of God in our lives. So that when we reflect and share our testimonies, we can only but ascribe it all to Jesus.
Moreso, let us trust God’s perfect timing, He is always in-time.
Pray Earnest,Specific & God Gratifying Prayers:
There will come times in our lives when we would have to switch the gears and intensity of our prayers. Earnestly praying from the depths of our souls for answers from God.
This point was reached by Hannah ; she broke down before her God at Shiloh,wept bitterly as she prayed and prayed from her heart. I samuel 1:19-12 She prayed from her heart but could not be heard by people around her, but her God. She went as far as being specific by asking for a son and also promised to give back the son to God in service. I samuel 1:10-12.
How could God refuse a request that wasn’t self-seeking but God’s glory seeking!
For us now, Shiloh now could mean any where in God’s presence, thankfully we can access His presence easily through Jesus Christ. When we approach His presence, we can pour out our hearts to Him the exact way we feel. Moreso, let us be careful to examine the motives behind our prayers, God may not answer them if the intentions & motives behind our prayers are selfish or do not glorify His name.
Believe God, Believe God’s Prophets :
The bible tells us in II Chronicles 20:20 to “Believe in the Lord your God; so shall ye be established. Believe His prophets; so shall ye prosper.”
This is what Hannah did right after God’s prophets spoke to her. The prophet accustomed her, accusing her of being drunk early in the morning. But she told him her predicament and the prophet sympathized with her and then prophesied to her situation. And we are told that she was not downcast anymore.
All she heard was a word from the prophet in the name of the Lord and she believed and went away rejoicing, trusting and believing the word of God to her through the Prophet.
Fulfill or Redeem your vows:
If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth– Numbers 30:2
To the glory of God, Hannah had a son and she called him samuel and true to her word she did give back the boy in service of the Lord. Once the child was weaned, she took him back to the house of the Lord to serve there.
I cannot imagine how hard that must have been for her! A child she had waited and prayed so long for and the only one she had at that time.
I thank God for her faithfulness in fulfilling her vow to God because she gave one child to God as promised and God was gracious unto her and blessed her with 5 more children.I Samuel 2:21
True to God’s word, ” Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38
Let us ensure that when we make vows or pledges to people or God that we redeem them. May God help us and bless the work of our hands in Jesus name.
God’s Gifts are Perfect! :
Samuel who was the gift from God to wipe away Hannah’s tears and bring joy to her grew up to be a great prophet of God, a great prophet at that. There was no sorrow attached to the gift of God given to Hannah, neither did God take anything from her in exchange for His gift to her.
Let us hold on steadfastly to the promises of God for our lives, we shouldn’t be tempted to go seeking for help outside God’s presence. Any gift that is void of God’s hands will definitely be filled with hidden thorns that unravel as time goes on.
May God give us the strength to wait on God’s perfect gift in Jesus name.
Give thanks always; before & after your miracle:
There is an proverb in my culture, yoruba that says “”Eni ba dupe ore ana, a ri omiran gba“” which means that an individual who shows gratitude for yesterday’s favor or good deed will definitely receive more next time he/she asks.
I believe this is a principle that is applicable almost everywhere in the world, expression of gratitude. Hannah understood this principle or was just overwhelmed with joy and sang endless praises to her God after she had her son Samuel. I samuel 2:1-11
Let us in this light always show and express gratitude to God for everything He does for us.
May the good Lord see us through every Hannah-like situation, give us the strength to pray through it, confidently trust Him and wait patiently for His perfect gift in Jesus name.