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Faith During Grief 1 SAMUEL 1:9–20 (KJV)
This opening chapter shows the persistence of Hannah’s prayers for a child explicitly while God had shut her womb. Peninnah bullied and provoked Hannah to the point of tears, yet Hannah received a double portion of Elkanah’s sacrifice because he loved her.
Hannah Prays
(1 Samuel 1:9–11)
At this point in the text,
we know that Hannah is un- able to conceive a child. After Hannah finishes eat- ing, she goes to pray. Han- nah’s prayer of deep anguish shows us that bearing a child is an experience that she de- sires. People tend to bring the Lord their deepest de- sires and are willing to weep before the Lord with full passion, as Hannah does in her heart. Hannah asks the Lord to look to her misery and remember her.
Hannah continues to pull on God’s heartstrings and promises God that she will dedicate her son back to the Lord and will never put a razor to his head. Here, we see that Hannah is not only praying, but she is willing to commit to God well before she receives her blessing. Her promise to God is not an afterthought of receiving; rather, it is standing in the expectation that God will
move.
God Blesses Hannah (1 Samuel 1:12–20)
Hannah continues to pray. Eli, who was sitting at the doorpost, sees Hannah praying. He watches her mouth closely as he sees her lips moving with no audible words coming out. Hannah prays within her heart, and only God hears her words. This reminds us that people can see us praying, but still have no idea what the cir- cumstances are behind the prayer. Not all prayers need to be spoken out loud, as some things are between God and the individual. Eli assumes that Hannah is drunk, but she tells Eli that she is praying to God out of her anguish and grief.
In her loss and pain, she continues to pray with hope that she will be able to con- ceive a child. Now knowing this, Eli blesses her with peace and adds his prayer to hers that God would grant her prayer request. After this, Hannah is no longer downcast, eats something, and leaves the sanctuary. Al- ready Eli’s blessing of peace has calmed the anguish seen
in her prayer.
When they return home,
Hannah and Elkanah are able to conceive, and she later births a son. She names him Samuel, meaning “God heard me.” Sometimes it takes longer than our ex- pected timelines to receive the things we pray for, but God hears every single prayer. God provided for Hannah, and Hannah never gave up on praying and wor- shiping.
God Cares
Even in moments when things seem impossible, God reminds us that nothing is impossible for God. No mat- ter the prayer — be it fertil- ity, finances, education, or collective liberation — God will provide. It may take days, months, and even years; yet, we are to remain hopeful in the Lord, no mat- ter when it comes. Our prayers ought not to be about the blessing as much as they should be about the one who provides the bless- ing.
Even in her sorrow, Hannah remained faithful. We ought to do the same.
The Scriptures
1 Samuel 1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat uponaseatbyapostofthe temple of the LORD.
10 And she was in bitter- ness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine hand- maid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying be- fore the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.
13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
15 And Hannah an- swered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sor- rowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
16 Count not thine hand- maid for a daughter of Be- lial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
19 And they rose up in the morning early, and wor- shipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remem-
bered her.
20 Wherefore it came to
pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
Background
Samuel is noted as the last judge and a prophet. During his time, Israel un- derwent a shift in leadership from judges to kings. Samuel would anoint the first king, Saul, and would also anoint David as king.
In this first chapter, we are given Samuel’s birth story. His father, Elkanah, was married to Hannah and to Peninnah, as polygamy was the common marital system of the time. Penin- nah was able to bear chil- dren, while Hannah was barren, like many other women in the biblical text.
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