The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Tuesday
May 6, 2008
The next year Elkanah, Peninnah, and their children went on their annual trip
to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. But Hannah did not go. She told her husband,
"Wait until the baby is weaned. Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave
him there with the Lord permanently."
"Whatever you think is best, Elkanah
agreed. "Stay here for now, and may the Lord help you keep your promise."
So
she stayed home and nursed the baby. When the child was weaned, Hannah took him
to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull for the
sacrifice and half a bushel of flour and some wine. After sacrificing the bull,
they took the child to Eli.
"Sir, do you remember me?" Hannah asked. "I am
the woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord. I asked the Lord
to give me this child, and he has given me my request. Now I am giving him to
the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life." And they worshiped the
Lord there.
1 Samuel 1:21-28
Elkanah and Hannah were a couple way ahead of their time. Based on this small glimpse of their communication, Elkanah allowed Hannah the freedom to love God and serve God her way.
I read this entire chapter three times before I could really get a grasp of what was happening. Because Hannah loved God so much, she wanted all that He would give her. She knew that giving birth to a child would change something inside her and she wanted that change. So, when God granted her request she offered the gift He gave her right back to Him. No where is it recorded that she asked Elkanah's permission.
To me, it looks like the first Elkanah heard of Hannah's heart desire was when they were getting ready to go to the Temple and she chose to stay home. Now, if that happened today, not only would her husband be upset, so would the church leaders. However, he supported her in her decision and even went a step further; he made the commitment to pray that God would help her keep her promise. Wow, what a lesson for us to learn!
In his book, "The Woman Question," Kenneth Hagin, Sr. makes the firm statement that the man is definitely to be the head of his house, but that he is not to be the head of his wife's spirituality. When it came down to the line that Hannah felt led to offer Samuel to God, Elkanah had enough respect for God and his wife to support her in her decision.
Apparently, even the priest wasn't shocked by this gift because the Word declares that "they worshiped the Lord there." It seems to me that it was a spontaneous act of worship that happens when we recognize that God has just used us to be a part of something unexpected, something not on the program of worship for that day. The priest was accustomed to receiving bulls and grain, but he was given a child to train in the ways of God, and what genuine man of God doesn't love the opportunity to disciple someone to be a God chaser? Hallelujah! What a mighty, awe inspiring God we serve.
Father, I thank You for new insights that You allow us to see when we lay aside our preconceived notions of how You move. Again, I thank You for the example of marital love expressed in the lives of Elkanah and Hannah. Help us emulate this couples' love and respect for You and each other. Strengthen our marriages with wisdom and understanding of You.
