1 Samuel 1:22 “But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, ‘I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord and stay there forever.’”
Observation: Hannah was one of two wives of Elkhanah. The Lord had kept her womb closed for years, as the competing wife had multiple children. Eventually, on one of the annual Temple pilgrimages faithfully observed by Elkhanah and Hannah, her distress before the Lord overflowed in bitter weeping and she promised that if he would but give her a son she would “give him to the Lord all the days of his life….” (v. 11)
As she remained barren, Elkhanah did his best to comfort her, giving her a double portion of the annual sacrifice as compared to that of his more fruitful wife. In this is a wonderful picture of God’s love for the afflicted of the earth. Though Hannah remained barren, she was much loved by her husband. He was never critical of her; rather he gave even more of himself to her.
Application: How like the Lord, who says to the poor of the earth that he will bless them. In fact, they are to inherit the earth, which seems to show intent of physical blessing now as well as the spiritual blessing that comes to all who accept his gift of eternal life.
After Hannah’s vow to give her son to the Lord for a lifetime of service, she and Elkhanah returned home where she became pregnant and bore a son named Samuel. When the time came for their annual pilgrimage, Hannah remained at home with her baby, saying this astonishing thing: “I will not go up ‘til the child is weaned, then I will bring Him that he may appear before the Lord and stay there forever.”
Why do her words seem seem so unbelievable? I can imagine it could have been easy for Hannah while barren to promise to give her potential son to the Lord’s service, but wouldn’t it be quite another thing to give her actual son to him? This actual son, this boy who would suckle at her breasts for several years, would with every feeding be a reminder of the Lord’s graciousness. Such bonding! And remember, she had no promise of other children; as far as she knew, this could be her only child.
Yet she would keep her promise to surrender what was surely her most precious possession. And I ask myself, what is my most precious possession or relationship, and would I be willing to follow through on a similar commitment to give? Have I not made such commitments in the past, only to renege once the intensity of the appeal has passed? Could Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 become my own?
Prayer: Father, teach me to be like Hannah, holding loosely the things and relationships I value most highly. I surrender all, Lord. I surrender all. In Jesus’ name, Amen.