Plate filled. Purpose unfulfilled.
The story of Hannah's life played out like a bad episode of Trading Spouses. One wife has almost everything, while the other wife has the things the other wife lacks.
And poor Elkanah caught in the middle. Wow, men have got to be rejoicing that monogamy rules our day!
Peninnah, the first to bear children for Elkanah, must have felt very fulfilled in her purpose as a wife and mother. Yet the obvious, extra-portion love Elkanah demonstrated for Hannah rubbed Peninnah about as wrong as going against the fur on a long-haired cat.
And the claws came out.
And Hannah's extra portion of post-sacrificial meat heaped lovingly on her plate by Elkanah was soaked by her tears from Peninnah's taunting over Hannah's unfulfilled purpose.
Such a great line to read today:
"So Hannah... pulled herself together, slipped away quietly and entered the sanctuary." (1 Sam. 1:9)
Hannah took the first step to meet God, to fulfill her purpose. She didn't continue to drown in tears; she picked up her fork and ate the meal as her husband encouraged her to do. Then she decided it was time to meet with God.
But, what really grabbed my mother-heart today was the fact that after so desperately desiring a son for so many years and enduring such cruel taunting year after year ... Hannah's prayer to God turned from a request immediately into an offering! She vowed to give her son right back to God - "completely and unreservedly," set apart for "a life of holy discipline" (1 Sam. 1:11).
Her purpose was not in keeping the son, the promise ... Her purpose was fulfilled in being a part of the process ... Her purpose was very self-less. She gave that child Samuel up completely to God by the time he was 2 or 3 years old!
Honestly, i think i would find that very hard to do - although if i had read this yesterday around 5:30/6:00 pm, i might have thought twice about it! Twice about it, but not seriously!
I have found the Lord working on my heart in regards to my children. We have dedicated them to the Lord, and we know they are His. I know He knows them so much better than I do. I know He sees them when i don't and sees into places of their little hearts and minds that i cannot.
But Hannah's story today really spoke to my heart about purpose. Fulfilling the purpose. Is my purpose in the END result or is my purpose in the process along the way. The WAY where God works on me, teaches me, changes me ... and hopefully changes people (my children) and changes circumstances and life and eternity along the WAY.
Hannah passionately prayed her way through the circumstances until her purpose was realized. But you know what, her peace came before the end result manifested. Her peace came before the pregnancy even started.
Maybe ... maybe i need to look for my purpose somewhere between my heart and God's. And that's where I'll find blessing and grace. Both of which i so desperately need in order to see the purpose carried out along the way until the end result is birthed and placed back, ever so gently and with a sacrifice of praise, into God's hands.
3 comments:
Loved your post, Heather! Great insight.
Each time I read this story, I wonder, would Peninnah's taunting of Hannah . . . born out of rejection, knowing she was not loved as much as Hannah . . . be considered bullying today?
Hannah did not retaliate but poured out her anguish and great sorrow of soul to the Lord. Hannah laid it on the altar and did not pick it up on her way out! In turn, God dried her tears, gave her a son, and restored her joy.
Need our tears dried and our joy restored?
Make the choice to go to God first . . . lay the sorrow of our soul on the altar . . . offer up a prayer of praise . . .
"My heart rejoices in the Lord! Oh, how the Lord has blessed me!”
From Pastor Eleanor...
Your input reminded me of a day I went to get my hair done (way back in Danville), and a young pastor’s wife was there as well. My children were fairly grown by then, but she was pregnant, and also had a small child. She told me that she had one big fear in her life, and that was that her children would not serve the Lord when they grew up. In my heart I was stunned, because I had never ever even thought such a thing! I didn’t know how God would use all four of our children, but never once thought they wouldn’t keep loving God, whatever they would do. Perhaps that is why God put it in all four of their hearts to serve Him with all they had. So, keep putting them in the Lord’s hand, they’re His, as you gave them to Him in dedication – serve the Lord with all your hearts, and the kids will live with that, see it, and do the same. Oh, they may be tempted, and they will, no doubt, but they will come around. Have a great day!
Eleanor
Mom, i like what you said about the fact that Hannah 1) laid the sorrow of her soul on the altar and 2) that she didn't pick it back up on her way out! 2 lessons i need to learn better!
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