Women of the Word

Reading: I Samuel 1-2:10
Hannah: Understanding a God Who Understands

Have you ever hurt so bad you couldn’t speak? Have there been times when you thought no one could understand the depth of your heartache? Ours is a hard world where everyone at some time or other experiences this kind of intense emotional pain.

When those times come, we would all do well to think of Hannah. Imagine what it was like to live in her very small world. No email, no telephones, no postal service. If you wanted to talk to a friend you had to walk to wherever they were. In such a time and place, family members provided joy, solace, comfort and support. Children were the only social security a woman had. Hannah was barren, and her loneliness and sorrow were profound. We know Hannah’s husband, Elkanah, loved her, but he had another wife, Penninah—the mother of many sons and daughters. Hannah’s rival for their husband’s affection taunted her unmercifully. Elkanah couldn’t console her. But Hannah knew there was a God who would hear the cry of her heart—even if she never uttered a word.

Most of us are familiar with the story. We know that Hannah went to the tabernacle to pray. As she poured out her heart her lips moved but no sound emerged. Eli the priest presumed her to be drunk. When he realized she was deep in prayer he told her God had heard her. This wasn’t news to Hannah. She knew who God was. She knew He always hears his children. She knew He would respond.

God doesn’t always answer prayers the way we think He should. (But we can always be assured that His answers are in our best interest.) However, in this case, Hannah did receive just what she asked for. Then Hannah did something we can all learn from. She gave back to God. Her son, Samuel, went to live with Eli the priest when he was just a boy. He became a prophet, an anointer of kings.

But there’s more to the story. Hannah reflected on what God had done in her life. She expressed not just gratitude but a deep appreciation of His amazing characteristics. The next time God gives you a victory, provides a special blessing or just helps you through a trying day, be like Hannah. Make note of what He has done and what He can do. Understanding our Lord makes it easy to trust Him to take care of the troubles no one else can even understand.

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