Women’s Devotional – Day 19
Have you ever ached for something so much that it seemed to leave you in despair with hopelessness?How long was it before you saw God’s answer? Are you still waiting?
There is hope! God hears your prayers.
He is not ignoring you, nor is He allowing this agony to continue as a punishment. (See: John 9:3)
Know that He watches over you as a loving father. (See: Psalm 121:5-8)
1 Samuel 1-28
1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite[a] from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”
9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. 10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
15 “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. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”
17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.
19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,[b] saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”[c]
23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his[d] word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[e] an ephah[f] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 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. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 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.
Devotional
In 1 Samuel, chapter 1 we read of Hannah, a married woman who was unable to bear children. Year after year she would come before God at the temple and plead with groaning and tears.
We can learn from her experience…how she struggled through the anguish and through the persecution; how she persisted in her petition to God; how she finally gave her pain and need over to God; and how she found hope and faith in the One who hears, El Shama. (See: Psalm 17:6)
In verse 18 something happened that seemed to remove the conflict that Hannah was in. Eli, the Priest, heard her prayer, and he also asked the Lord to grant her request. Suddenly, Hannah found hope.
When another comes along side and prays for you and with you, it brings much comfort and encouragement. (See: Matthew 18:19)
I wonder if her new found hope increased her faith in God. (See: Hebrews 11:1)
Hannah returns home and that one thing that she so desperately yearned for was granted to her. Oh the joy of answered prayer! She had a son and called him “Samuel” which means, “I have asked/borrowed him from God”.
1 Samuel 1:20
So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
But then, when Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him to Eli to stay at the temple. You see, Hannah remembered her vow she made to the Lord and honored it. Was it heart breaking? I think it was. But Hannah stayed true to her word because now she KNOWS the ONE who provides. Because of her faithfulness Samuel became a great Judge, Prophet and King-maker of Israel. Just like Hannah, we don’t have the luxury of seeing God work through our grief. But whatever you’re agonizing over, KNOW that God is the ONE who SEES.
Psalm 42:5
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Prayer
Lord, today I choose to praise You. Today I choose to stand and not whimper. For You are the God who Sees! You have met me in my brokenness and have lifted me up on eagle’s wings. You are faithful and true and I wait on You with fierce expectation! My heart overflows with joy in my praises. I will not be dismayed nor afraid , for the battle belongs to You. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.