Written by Tiffany Jacox, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Nebraska
When I was first approached with the opportunity to share about the beautiful story of Hannah, I was a little intimidated. I wasn’t sure it was something I could relate to well enough that I could adequately tell her story. I imagine God gave a big grin and said let me show you.
As I thought about this task before me and thought about Hannah, her faith, and her persistence, I stopped, and I prayed. When I finished praying, I grabbed my Bible and I opened it up. My Bible opened right up to 1 Samuel. It lay there as if it were open and smiling with God saying, share My word. Hannah was an amazing woman in the Bible, a woman of amazing faith and strength. Her story is one of torment, pain, waiting, and promise.
Hannah was married to Elkanah who was also married to Peninnah. Peninnah had children and Hannah had none. Hannah deeply desired children. Elkanah loved Hannah and when he went to make the annual sacrifices he made a double-portion sacrifice for her. Now Peninnah would provoke Hannah and torment her for being childless. This would upset Hannah and she wouldn’t sleep or eat. Her husband, Elkanah, didn’t understand this because he believed that he was good to her and thought that should be enough. Doesn’t this sound like some of us in life sometimes? Men and women? We sure are different, aren’t we?
Hannah finally got some sleep and ate some food and then rose up and went to the temple. She prayed. She prayed HARD! She prayed and she wept bitterly. She made a vow with the Lord and asked if He gave her a son, she would give him to the Lord all the days of his life and a razor will never come to his head.
Now she was in intense prayer here. Have you ever been in intense prayer with the Lord? Maybe during a very difficult time in your life or the life of a friend or loved one? Think about when Jesus was praying in the garden and He had sweat on His head like drops of blood in Luke 22:44.
Hannah was praying hard, and she was crying and talking to God and meanwhile Eli, the priest, was standing at the doorway watching this. She was talking with God and her lips were moving but no sound was coming out. Eli asked her if she was drunk and she responded, “I am not drunk! I am oppressed in spirit and have poured my heart out to the Lord.”
Hannah showed us her full faith in the Lord and laid down her burdens at His feet in prayer. Eli told her to go in peace and may God grant her petition. Hannah was no longer sad. Our burden is light when we rely on the Lord.
The Lord remembered Hannah and she conceived a son. She named him Samuel because she asked him from the Lord. Hannah did not make the journey for the annual sacrifice the following year, waiting until the child was weaned because of the promise she made to the Lord. Once the child was weaned, she took him to the temple and gave thanks to the Lord and they worshipped the Lord. She kept her promise, just as God had kept His.
Hannah endured very difficult times, but she leaned on the Lord and she went to Him in prayer. She relied on God to provide. She was patient. She was remembered and rewarded. I will admit I need to work on my prayer life; it does not look like Hannah’s. How does your life look like Hannah’s? Are you fervent in prayer like Hannah? Has a prayer been answered after a long wait? Or like me, do you realize you need to work on your faithful devotion to prayer?