1 Samuel 1:19-28: A Given Son
The LORD remembered Hannah (v19). That doesn’t mean He’d forgotten her. It’s the writer’s way of saying he acted positively towards her. She bears a son. He gives her a son. After he is weaned (around the age of 3 or 4, as fresh water was a scarcer commodity) Hannah fulfils her vow and takes him up to the Tabernacle to be devoted to the service of God.
This little boy – given for the service of God – spends his days helping Eli the priest and worshipping God. He will grow into a spiritual giant in Israel. This consecrated boy will lead the people in worship, will bring God’s word to the people, will judge and rule the people, will lead them into battle and on to victory. His birth marks a new era. He will be the Kingmaker. He will mark out God’s chosen King, the one who will bring blessing, peace, and prosperity. He will be the prophet who precedes the King. A giant on the pages of Israel’s history.
Where did he come from? The Hill country of Ephraim (nowhereville). The barren womb of a woman bullied by her husband’s other wife. The domestic struggles of an insignificant family.
You see, this story is NOT just a story about a devout woman whose prayer was answered. The main thing we take away should not be “pray like Hannah”. The main lesson is that an insignificant, childless woman was used by God to bring about a new chapter in His story. God is going to provide a King to rule, bless, and prosper. He starts with nothing – a barren womb. He starts with our helplessness – a woman in the grip of infertility. He starts with the everyday and mundane – the domestic struggles of an ordinary family. He starts with a situation corrupted by sin – Elkanah should not have had two wives! This is how the God of grace and power works. The helpless, the hopeless, the insignificant, and the ordinary are his preferred tools.
Questions
- What are the main aspects of your “ordinary life”? What does God call you to in each one, and how might He work?
- Do you need to stop looking for and waiting for “the significant” in your life, and look to see what God is doing in the seemingly insignificant?
Prayer Points
- Ask God to show you how He is working in the ordinary of your life.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.