1 Samuel 2

Old Testament for December 26, 2021

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

It is important to understand the back story of our lectionary passage today. We remember that Hannah had been infertile. When her husband Elkanah made his annual pilgrimage to Shiloh (the home of the ark of the covenant), she accompanied him there. One year her prayers to the Lord for a child were so fervent that Eli, the high priest, had blessed her and said,

“Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him” (1 Samuel 1:18).

Hannah did become pregnant and gave birth to Samuel. What is most amazing is that she was so grateful for this blessing that after Samuel was weaned, she took him back to Shiloh and offered him up to serve in the house of the Lord:

“For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:27-28).

In this week’s lectionary reading, we see the growth and maturation of the child Samuel. He wears a linen ephod in his service for the Lord, which was a type of ritual garment that the priestly caste wore.

And Hannah manages to stay in touch with her son as he grows up by visiting each year for the annual sacrifice, bringing with her a new linen ephod that presumably has been tailored to accommodate Samuel’s growth.

The yearly sacrifice to which this passage refers is likely the Day of Atonement. This was a solemn fast day for all Israel; and the high priest offered a sacrifice to atone for the sins of all the people.

In our passage, as Elkanah and Hannah come to Shiloh, the high priest Eli annually blessed them and prayed for their fertility:

“May the Lord repay you with children by this woman for the gift that she made to the Lord”

The priest’s prayers, and Hannah’s, were honored:

And the Lord took note of Hannah; she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21).

Samuel’s growth and development from a child into a man of God now will take center stage:

Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.

This sets the stage for the events that will end the priesthood of Eli and his corrupt sons, and catapult Samuel into prominence as one of the preeminent judges and prophets in the Old Testament.

APPLY:

Parenting is an exquisitely painful and joyful experience. The moment our children are born, we begin to let go of them. As they mature, they begin to grow away from us as they make their own decisions.

This is as it should be. The purpose of parents is to eventually become obsolete as the governing force in our children’s lives. Every emotionally healthy parent’s goal is to provide opportunities for their children to mature into emotionally healthy adults.

Hannah has done this far earlier than any of us might be willing to do. When Samuel is weaned, perhaps sometime between 18 months and five years, she turns him over to Eli to be raised in the house of the Lord.

In a sense, that is where Christian parenting should begin. When our children are born, we begin by turning our children over to God. As parents, our job is not to shape these little ones into our own image, but to act as God’s proxies with our kids.

As with Samuel, our responsibility is to create the conditions so that our children may:

grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.

RESPOND:

There is great relief in following Hannah’s example — but I don’t mean that we should take our kids down to the local church and drop them off until they’re 18!

No, here’s what I mean — if we recognize that our children belong to God before they belong to us, we can have confidence that God is far more concerned about their growth and well-being than we are.

That is reassuring to any parent!

Our Lord, parenting is not easy. Even for those of us whose children are grown, we continue to fret over the decisions of our kids. Help me to remember that, like Hannah, I’ve turned my children over to you. And I trust you to help them to grow in stature and in favor with you. Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Roots and Wings" by Andrea Hernandez is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.

Psalter Reading for November 14, 2021

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 2:1-10
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

These words on the lips of Hannah are poignant when we know of her aching desire for a child, and the answer that was given to her prayers when Samuel was born.

These words are eerily familiar to us when we compare them to the famous Magnificat of Mary in Luke 1:46-55. Many of the same themes are addressed:

Each proclaim the greatness of the Lord.
Arrogance is criticized.
Humility is praised.
The mighty are brought low.
The poor are lifted up.

Each is the song of a woman who celebrates a child. Hannah celebrates that her barrenness has been healed:

The barren has borne seven.

Mary celebrates that this miraculous conception in the womb of a virgin is the Lord’s doing:

the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name (Luke 1:49).

There is a key difference, however, between the songs of these two women. With Hannah’s Psalm there is an edginess that suggests her sense of vindication and even a sense of bitterness toward her “sister-wife” Peninnah.

We will remember that they shared their husband, Elkanah, but Peninnah had been fertile while Hannah was not. And Peninnah didn’t let Hannah forget it. Hannah’s rival:

used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb (1 Samuel 1:6).

We can see Hannah’s tone of triumphant vindication over her rival in several places:

My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in my victory.

Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth

The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.

This is a reminder to us that Hannah and the other people of the Bible are real people, with the same feelings of victimization and bitterness that we have. This makes it possible for us to identify more closely with the Biblical story, because we can identify with these folks.

But still, after Hannah has “gotten her licks in” (as we say in the American South), she returns to a more foundational sense of praise. The reversal of roles between the rich and the poor, the proud and the humble, the strong and the weak happens because of what God has done:

He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and on them he has set the world.

And ultimately God is vindicated above all else:

The Lord! His adversaries shall be shattered;
the Most High will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king,
and exalt the power of his anointed.

APPLY:

When we have been vindicated because of our faith in God, when our hopes are fulfilled against all odds, and the naysayers and critics are silenced, we may well be tempted to emulate the tone of Hannah.

We may want to say, in effect, “I won, you lost!”

Better that we should focus more positively on what God has done, rather than triumphing over our enemies.

When I watch athletes celebrate a touchdown, or a home run, or a goal, I am much more attracted to the athlete who kneels in thanksgiving than I am the one who dances tauntingly and proudly. Perhaps there’s a reason that “taunting” can draw a personal foul call in football!

RESPOND:

While I can sense some of Hannah’s edgy triumphalism in this Psalm, I can understand it. And it reminds me of one the aspects I love about the Scriptures.

We aren’t presented with flat, flannel board, one-dimensional characters, or plaster saints. From Adam and Eve all the way to the apostles, these are real people with the same personalities and desires and grudges that I experience in people that I know today.

That’s why the answers that the Bible offers to our deepest fears and hopes still speak to us today.

Lord, may I always acknowledge your power and your intervention in human affairs. Defend me from bitterness and triumphalism. The only triumph that matters is yours! Amen.

PHOTOS:

“1 Samuel 2-2 “There is none holy as the Lord : for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” by Church Iglesia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Old Testament for November 14, 2021

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 1:4-20
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage is the nativity account of one of the great judges/prophets of the Hebrew Bible. Like so many other birth-stories in the Scriptures, this one is fraught with complications.

First, there is the polygamy of Elkanah, married to both Peninnah and Hannah. Almost invariably with polygamy, there are domestic tensions, especially between the wives.

Second is the issue of children. Penninah is fertile, and has many children; Hannah is barren. In Hebrew culture, children are regarded as one of God’s great blessings:

Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward (Psalm 127:3).

Third, this disparity serves to intensify relationships that are already strained. Though Penninah has borne children for Elkanah, it is clear to everyone that he loves Hannah more than Penninah. This certainly explains Penninah’s jealous and haughty taunts:

Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.

Hannah displays symptoms of depression. She won’t eat, she cries her eyes out, and Elkanah tries to comfort 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?”

Evidently, the answer is no. She accompanies Elkanah on one of his regular pilgrimages to Shiloh, where the ark of the covenant is lodged, and where Eli serves as high priest. After the feast that accompanies the sacrifices, Hannah’s fervent prayers are deeply emotional:

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.

Like so many women who may find themselves in a similar position, Hannah makes a promise to God. She is bargaining; she’ll promise almost anything for a child:

….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.”

This is a radical promise, as we will see.

Eli the priest misinterprets her emotional fervor. He scolds her as a drunk. But she explains her plight:

“I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

Eli seems moved to compassion, and offers a kind of blessing upon her:

“Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

This blessing seems to change everything for Hannah. Her depression is lifted:

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.

Elkanah and Hannah try again, this time with success!

Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.

And her prayers are answered:

….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.”

The name Samuel is rooted in the Hebrew word meaning he hears. This is Hannah’s homage to the Lord for hearing and answering her prayer.

What is really fascinating is the aftermath of this birth. Samuel’s birth is truly a blessing to Hannah, but she still keeps her vow to the Lord. She has promised to:

“give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

What this means is she essentially turns Samuel over to the high priest Eli, to be raised as a kind of acolyte or altar boy in Shiloh, the home of the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant. When the child is weaned, she takes him to Shiloh and leaves him there! She says to Eli:

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.”

The vow that no razor will ever be used on his head is rooted in the tradition of the Nazirites, from Numbers 6:1-21. These were special vows of dedication to the Lord that included abstention from wine, fermented drink, grapes or raisins; no use of razors; allowing their hair to grow long; avoidance of the dead. Only for Samuel, this was not to be a short-term vow, but a lifelong vow made on his behalf by his mother.

The implication is very clear — Hannah has completely surrendered her precious son to the Lord, which seems a great sacrifice. But God honors her sacrifice:

And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord (1 Samuel 2:21).

APPLY:

Only a couple who has struggled with infertility can fully appreciate the deep anguish of Hannah. Her heartfelt prayers at the holy place of Shiloh were so fervent the priest assumed she was drunk!

Let’s dwell on this a moment. Is the efficacy of prayer dependent on the intensity of our longing? Or on the right “formula” of our prayers?

This is a hard question to answer, especially to those who are struggling with deep disappointment and high hopes. Jesus does tell us:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7-8).

Very likely, we might all be able to think of prayers and intercessions that are wonderfully fulfilled.

On the other hand, we know of couples whose prayers aren’t answered. We remember cancer patients and trauma victims, and many others for whom entire communities are praying, and those prayers seem to go unanswered.

So, we do well to remember the perspective of balance. The Apostle Paul himself, a man of God and undisputed holiness, records an experience of his own with prayer. He speaks of an affliction that he suffers, and says:

I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”(2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

God’s answers to our prayers may not be to our specifications, but God has purposes inscrutable to us. And we also know that the disappointments of this life are temporary, but his ultimate plan for us is glorious:

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

RESPOND:

I read somewhere recently that having a child means that your heart now lives outside of your body. I can only imagine how Hannah must have felt, agonizing and praying for a child. And then, to surrender him up to live as a kind of foster child to Eli! Unbelievable!

But in a sense that is what every parent must do eventually. Our children are not ours. Ultimately they come to us from God, and they belong to God. We do well to surrender them to God at the beginning of their lives, trusting that God will parent them through us for a time, and then protect and guide them when they become adults.

Our Lord, I believe you always hear our prayers, and you always answer. Give me the grace and wisdom to accept whatever answer I receive. Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Hannah's Prayer 1Samuel 1:10-18" by Bonnie Nyachae is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Old Testament for December 30, 2018

Author’s Note: I encourage all of my readers to prepare for the Christmas season with the Choose This Day Family Bible Study for the Advent season. It’s a fun, short (10-15 minutes) Bible study that the whole family can enjoy daily from December 1 to 25. You can visit that website by clicking this link.

And now, back to today’s lectionary reading:START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

(SELECTING PASSAGES FOR THE SOAR STUDY WAS COMPLICATED BY THE GLORIOUS CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS THAT INTERVENES BETWEEN THE LAST SUNDAY OF ADVENT AND THIS FIRST SUNDAY IN CHRISTMAS. HOWEVER, IF THE READER IS INTERESTED IN REFLECTIONS ON THE CHRISTMAS PASSAGES, I INVITE YOU TO CHECK OUT THE SOAR ENTRIES FOR DEC. 28, 2014)

OBSERVE:

“Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him” (1 Samuel 1:18).

“For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord”(1 Samuel 1:27-28).

Now, we see the growth and maturation of the child Samuel. He wears a linen ephod in his service for the Lord, which was a kind of ritual garment that the priestly caste wore.

In our passage, as Elkanah and Hannah come to Shiloh, the high priest Eli annually blessed them and prayed for their fertility:

“May the Lord repay you with children by this woman for the gift that she made to the Lord”

The priest’s prayers, and Hannah’s, were honored:

And the Lord took note of Hannah; she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21).

Samuel’s growth and development from a child into a man of God now will take center stage:

Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.

This sets the stage for the events that will end the priesthood of Eli and his corrupt sons, and catapult Samuel into prominence as one of the preeminent judges and prophets in the Old Testament.

APPLY:

As with Samuel, our responsibility is to create the conditions so that our children may:

grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.

RESPOND:

There is great relief in following Hannah’s example — but I don’t mean that we should take our kids down to the local church and drop them off until they’re 18!

That is reassuring to any parent!

PHOTOS:
"Author Unknown There are two things we should give our children, one is roots and the other is wings" by BK (a.k.a. Symphony of Love) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.

Psalter Reading for November 18, 2018

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 2:1-10
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

These words on the lips of Hannah are poignant when we know of her aching desire for a child, and the answer that was given to her prayers when Samuel was born.

These words are eerily familiar to us when we compare them to the famous Magnificat of Mary in Luke 1:46-55. Many of the same themes are addressed:

Each proclaim the greatness of the Lord.
Arrogance is criticized.
Humility is praised.
The mighty are brought low.
The poor are lifted up.

Each is the song of a woman who celebrates a child. Hannah celebrates that her barrenness has been healed:

The barren has borne seven.

Mary celebrates that this miraculous conception in the womb of a virgin is the Lord’s doing:

the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name (Luke 1:49).

We will remember that they shared their husband, Elkanah, but Peninnah had been fertile while Hannah was not. And Peninnah didn’t let Hannah forget it. Hannah’s rival:

used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb (1 Samuel 1:6).

We can see Hannah’s tone of triumphant vindication over her rival in several places:

My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in my victory.

Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth

The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.

He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and on them he has set the world.

And ultimately God is vindicated above all else:

The Lord! His adversaries shall be shattered;
the Most High will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king,
and exalt the power of his anointed.

APPLY:

We may want to say, in effect, “I won, you lost!”

Better that we should focus more positively on what God has done, rather than triumphing over our enemies.

RESPOND:

While I can sense some of Hannah’s edgy triumphalism in this Psalm, I can understand it. And it reminds me of one the aspects I love about the Scriptures.

That’s why the answers that the Bible offers to our deepest fears and hopes still speak to us today.

Lord, may I always acknowledge your power and your intervention in human affairs. Defend me from bitterness and triumphalism. The only triumph that matters is yours! Amen.

PHOTOS:

Old Testament for November 18, 2018

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 1:4-20
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage is the nativity account of one of the great judges/prophets of the Hebrew Bible. Like so many other birth-stories in the Scriptures, this one is fraught with complications.

First, there is the polygamy of Elkanah, married to both Peninnah and Hannah. Almost invariably with polygamy, there are domestic tensions, especially between the wives.

Second is the issue of children. Penninah is fertile, and has many children; Hannah is barren. In Hebrew culture, children are regarded as one of God’s great blessings:

Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward (Psalm 127:3).

Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.

Hannah displays symptoms of depression. She won’t eat, she cries her eyes out, and Elkanah tries to comfort 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?”

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.

Like so many women who may find themselves in a similar position, Hannah makes a promise to God. She is bargaining; she’ll promise almost anything for a child:

….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.”

This is a radical promise, as we will see.

Eli the priest misinterprets her emotional fervor. He scolds her as a drunk. But she explains her plight:

“I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

Eli seems moved to compassion, and offers a kind of blessing upon her:

“Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

This blessing seems to change everything for Hannah. Her depression is lifted:

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.

Elkanah and Hannah try again, this time with success!

Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.

And her prayers are answered:

….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.”

The name Samuel is rooted in the Hebrew word meaning he hears. This is Hannah’s homage to the Lord for hearing and answering her prayer.

What is really fascinating is the aftermath of this birth. Samuel’s birth is truly a blessing to Hannah, but she still keeps her vow to the Lord. She has promised to:

“give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.”

And the vow that no razor will ever be used on his head, is rooted in the tradition of the Nazirites, from Numbers 6:1-21. These were special vows of dedication to the Lord that included abstention from wine, fermented drink, grapes or raisins; no use of razors; allowing their hair to grow long; avoidance of the dead. Only for Samuel, this was not to be a short-term vow, but a lifelong vow made on his behalf by his mother.

The implication is very clear — Hannah has completely surrendered her precious son to the Lord, which seems a great sacrifice. But God honors her sacrifice:

And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord (1 Samuel 2:21).

APPLY:

Only a couple who has struggled with infertility can fully appreciate the deep anguish of Hannah. Her heartfelt prayers at the holy place of Shiloh were so fervent the priest assumed she was drunk!

Let’s dwell on this a moment. Is the efficacy of prayer dependent on the intensity of our longing? Or on the right “formula” of our prayers?

This is a hard question to answer, especially to those who are struggling with deep disappointment, and high hopes. Jesus does tell us:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7-8).

Very likely, we might all be able to think of prayers and intercessions that are wonderfully fulfilled.

I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”(2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

RESPOND:

Our Lord, I believe you always hear our prayers, and you always answer. Give me the grace and wisdom to accept whatever answer I receive. Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Hannah's Prayer 1Samuel 1:10-18" by Bonnie Nyachae is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Psalter Reading for November 15, 2015

START WITH SCRIPTURE:

1 Samuel 2:1-10

CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

These words on the lips of Hannah are poignant when we know of her aching desire for a child, and the answer that was given to her prayers when Samuel was born.

These words are eerily familiar to us when we compare them to the famous Magnificat of Mary in Luke 1:46-55. Many of the same themes are addressed: each proclaim the greatness of the Lord; arrogance is criticized, and humility is praised; the mighty are brought low, and the poor are lifted up.

Each is the song of a woman who celebrates a child. Hannah celebrates that her barrenness has been healed: The barren has borne seven. Mary celebrates that this miraculous conception in the womb of a virgin is the Lord’s doing: the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name (Luke 1:49).

We will remember that they shared their husband, Elkanah, but Peninnah had been fertile while Hannah was not. And Peninnah didn’t let Hannah forget it. Hannah’s

….rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb(1 Samuel 1:6).

We can see Hannah’s tone of triumphant vindication over her rival in several places:

My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in my victory.

Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth

The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.

But still, after Hannah has “gotten her licks in” as we say in the American South, she returns to a more foundational sense of praise. The reversal of roles between the rich and the poor, the proud and the humble, the strong and the weak happens because of what God has done:

He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and on them he has set the world.

And ultimately God is vindicated above all else:

The Lord! His adversaries shall be shattered;
the Most High will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king,
and exalt the power of his anointed.

APPLY:

We may want to say, in effect, “I won, you lost!”

Better that we should focus more positively on what God has done, rather than triumphing over our enemies.

When I watch athletes celebrate a touchdown, or a homerun, or a goal, I am much more attracted to the athlete who kneels in thanksgiving than I am the one who dances tauntingly and proudly. Perhaps there’s a reason that “taunting” can draw a personal foul call in football!

RESPOND:

While I can sense some of Hannah’s edgy triumphalism in this Psalm, I can understand it. And it reminds me of one the aspects I love about the Scriptures.

That’s why the answers that the Bible offers to our deepest fears and hopes still speak to us today.

Lord, may I always acknowledge your power and your intervention in human affairs. Defend me from bitterness and triumphalism. The only triumph that matters is yours! Amen.

PHOTOS:

“Nashville, 1 Samuel 2:9” by Steve (a.k.a. GiveGodGlory) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Old Testament for November 15, 2015

Start with Scripture:

1 Samuel 1:4-20

CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage is the nativity account of one of the great judges/prophets of the Hebrew Bible. Like so many other birth-stories in the Scriptures, this one is fraught with complications.

First, there is the polygamy of Elkanah, married to both Peninnah and Hannah. Almost invariably with polygamy, there are domestic tensions, especially between the wives.

Second is the issue of children. Penninah is fertile, and has many children; Hannah is barren. In Hebrew culture, children are regarded as one of God’s great blessings:

Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward (Psalm 127:3).

Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.

Hannah displays symptoms of depression. She won’t eat, she cries her eyes out, and Elkanah tries to comfort 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?”

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.

Like so many women who may find themselves in a similar position, Hannah makes a promise to God. She is bargaining; she’ll promise almost anything for a child:

….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.”

This is a radical promise, as we will see.

Eli the priest misinterprets her emotional fervor. He scolds her as a drunk. But she explains her plight:

“I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

Eli seems moved to compassion, and offers a kind of blessing upon her:

“Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

This blessing seems to change everything for Hannah. Her depression is lifted:

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.

Elkanah and Hannah try again, this time with success!

Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.

And her prayers are answered:

….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.”

The name Samuel is rooted in the Hebrew word meaning he hears. This is Hannah’s homage to the Lord for hearing and answering her prayer.

What is really fascinating is the aftermath of this birth. Samuel’s birth is truly a blessing to Hannah, but she still keeps her vow to the Lord. She has promised to

“give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.”

The implication is very clear: Hannah has completely surrendered her precious son to the Lord, which seems a great sacrifice. But God honors her sacrifice:

And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord (1 Samuel 2:21).

APPLY:

Only a couple who has struggled with infertility can fully appreciate the deep anguish of Hannah. Her heartfelt prayers at the holy place of Shiloh were so fervent the priest assumed she was drunk!

Let’s dwell on this a moment. Is the efficacy of prayer dependent on the intensity of our longing? Or on the right “formula” of our prayers?

This is a hard question to answer, especially to those who are struggling with deep disappointment, and high hopes. Jesus does tell us

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened(Matthew 7:7-8).

Very likely, we might all be able to think of prayers and intercessions that are wonderfully fulfilled.

I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”(2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

RESPOND:

Our Lord, I believe you always hear our prayers, and you always answer. Give me the grace and wisdom to accept whatever answer I receive. Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Hannah's Prayer 1Samuel 1:10-18" by Bonnie Nyachae is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.