Sunday 12 July, 2020

21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.” 23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

What a huge commitment Hannah was making, after years of ridicule & shame, now to give this little one up, I can’t imagine and yet her gratitude to God for her child is palpable.

However, I am taken by her husband, Elkanah’s response, “Do what seems best to you” V23. He did not override her decision, which in this culture and time he easily could have done, Hannah’s decision would also greatly impact him, he didn’t say she was crazy, or make her obey him to travel to fulfil his vow. He supported her. This was her choice, God had not requested it of her, it was her heart response to her prayer being fulfilled in Samuel. We don’t know Elkanah’s motive for supporting Hannah other than his love for her V5 and his devotion to the Lord V3.  

It makes me think of how precious it is when you feel fully supported, whether that is in a ministry venture or just in normal life decisions, when those around you are in full support of you. It also makes me question if I have been equally supportive others, do they know of my love and belief in them. Am I being as generous to them in love and support as Elkanah was to Hannah. I think too, that our support of others is also a reflection of our relationship and devotion to our Father God, for out of our heart for Him our response to others flows.

Jesus, help me to continually have a heart of support and generosity toward others, continue to remake my heart to reflect yours.  Thank you for your generosity to me and your love supporting me through life.  Amen

Written by Suzie Hodgson