Hannah is Childless

Responding To God's Grace

God is Faithful

Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5) 

God Answers Prayer

1 Samuel 1:1-8 The Message 

Hannah Pours Out Her Heart to God

1: 1-2 There once was a man who lived in Ramathaim. He was descended from the old Zuph family in the Ephraim hills. His name was Elkanah. (He was connected with the Zuphs from Ephraim through his father Jeroham, his grandfather Elihu, and his great-grandfather Tohu.) He had two wives. The first was Hannah; the second was Peninnah. Peninnah had children; Hannah did not.
3-7 Every year this man went from his hometown up to Shiloh to worship and offer a sacrifice to God-of-the-Angel-Armies. Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, served as the priests of God there. When Elkanah sacrificed, he passed helpings from the sacrificial meal around to his wife Peninnah and all her children, but he always gave an especially generous helping to Hannah because he loved her so much and because God had not given her children. But her rival wife taunted her cruelly, rubbing it in and never letting her forget that God had not given her children. This went on year after year. Every time she went to the sanctuary of God, she could expect to be taunted. Hannah was reduced to tears and had no appetite.
8 Her husband Elkanah said, “Oh, Hannah, why are you crying? Why aren’t you eating? And why are you so upset? Am I not of more worth to you than ten sons?”

For Reflection

As though yearning to bear children and not being able to do so was not enough suffering for Hannah to endure, wives in the village taunted her, and she became miserably self-deprecating. Hannah suffered. Others blamed God for her barrenness -- but not Hannah. Instead of becoming angry with God, Hannah petitioned God for mercy.  What does this story tell you about suffering?

Pray
Pray petitions to God and trust in God's wisdom to lead you out of suffering into the joy of living.


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