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| Hannah |
| Strengths Weaknesses &Mistakes LifeLessons |
| Hannah was a very faithful, unique woman. She was from Ram-athaim, married to Elkanah, a man very dedicated to God. Elkanah had another wife, Peninnah, who had children while Hannah was barren. It was the culture that a husband could divorce his wife for not bearing children, but instead, when it was time to take the sacr-ifice, and the family would eat, Elkanah would give Penennah and her children a portion and then give Hannah a double portion because he loved her. Penennah kept provoking and irritating Hannah, because she couldn't have any children, until she would cry and then she quit eating. The family went to do their appointed sacrifice, and after eating and drinking, Hannah was praying from her heart, saying in bitterness of soul, 'O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon 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 razors will ever be used on his head.' When Eli, the priest, saw her lips moving but there were no words coming out of her mouth, and told her to stop drinking, she explained, 'I am a women who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking, I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked women; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.' Eli blessed her and told her to go in peace. She then got up and went and ate. In time she conceived and had a son. She named her son Samuel. She sang a mighty praise song to the Lord, that later Mary Jesus' mother, modeled her praise song after. When Samuel turned three and was weened she took Samuel to Eli and dedicated Samuel to the Lord, just as she had promised. He ministered to the Lord from then on. Hannah would come each year and bring Samuel a little robe when she and her husband would bring their sacrifice. Eli told her, 'May the Lord bless you with you another child to replace the one you dedicated to the Lord.' Hannah later had three more sons and two daughters. Hannah, because of Peninnah's constant provoking, let herself get discouraged and depressed. While Hannah allowed Peninnah to hurt her feelings, she never retaliated. As she had sung in her song, 'Do not keep talking so proudly, or let your mouth speak much arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.' {1 Samuel 2:3}, there is no cause for us to strike out at someone who has done the same to us. The Lord blesses the humble. Once she had earnestly prayed to the Lord and Eli gave her a little encouragement she had decided to let the Lord do His work in His time, she no longer had her face downcast and the Lord blessed her with Samuel. 'There is a time for everything, and a season for everything under heaven.' {Ecclesiastes 3:1} Hannah gave her son back to God, after all, God gives us our children, they are a blessing from Him, along with everything else that we have, our homes, families, church families and jobs. 'If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him?' (Matthew 7:11} |
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