Today’s Word – 1 Samuel 1:1-20

Hello All,

I will be taking a walk through 1 Samuel.  I may veer off course from time to time if I feel led to do so, but this is where I feel I’m supposed to be now.

I sent this message via email in February, but think it’s a good place to start again before moving forward.

Looking forward to your thoughts.

Be Blessed,

Kee

The Birth of Samuel (vss 1-20)

These verses detail the circumstances around Samuel’s conception and birth.  Samuel was the son of Eklanah, an Ephraimite.  Eklanah had two wives – Hannah and Peninnah.  Peninnah had children but Hannah had none.

Year after year Eklanah went to worship and sacrifice to the Lord at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord.

On the day of sacrifice, Eklanah would give portions of meat to Peninnah and her children, but he would give Hannah double portion because he loved her and she was unable to have children.  Because of her inability to have children, Peninnah would provoke her till she wept and would not eat.  This would upset Elkanah and he would try to comfort her.
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Once when they had finished eating and drinking, Hannah stood up and began to pray – moving her lips but not speaking out loud.  She made a vow that if the Lord would give her a son, she would give him back to the Lord for all the days of his life.

Eli the priest, who was posted at the doorpost, saw this and thought she was drunk.  He chastised her and she responded sharing what she was doing and why.  Upon hearing this Eli told her to go in peace and asked that God would grant her what she had asked of him.  The exchange with Eli soothed her and she went back and ate and was happier.

Early the next morning they arose and again worshipped the Lord before going back home.  When Elkanah and Hannah made love, the Lord remembered her and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son.  She named him Samuel, meaning “asked of God or heard by God.”

While this book is ultimately about Samuel, I think Hannah is key to 1) Samuel existing and 2) Samuel becoming the person he became.  I think God understood Hannah’s anguish as she cried out to Him.  I think He also felt she had great faith and believed that she would honor the vow that she spoke that day.

How many of us cry out to the Lord truly believing that He will answer?  Is our cry a cry of faith or is it accusatory and angry?  How many times have we promised God something “if He…” only to forget about what we’ve said once we receive what we want?  What if God broke His promises to us?

Hannah was an extremely strong woman, in my opinion.  To ask God for something that you want essentially more than anything else and agree to give Him back to Him once it’s received is beyond what many of us could do.  Have you given back to God what He’s blessed you with?  I think there are many ways to do this – blessing others, giving of your time, talent, finances, and other resources, committing yourself to walk in a way that is pleasing to Him, making sure He receives the honor and glory for what He has provided and using it in a way that allows His will to be done.

What are you asking God for?  Are you willing to give it back to Him, allowing it to be used for His purposes and not your own?  Or have you received something and forgotten who made it possible for you to have it?

Dedicate all that you have to the Lord.  Allow it to be used for the uplifting of His Kingdom.