Hannah: Trust-Filled Prayer, December 17 Lesson

Prayer requests for this week:

• Son with cerebral palsy who was struck by truck but miraculously walked away with moderate, but disabling injuries.
• Relatives who are ill and in life changing circumstances.
• Praise for business blessings.

                                                                           

1 Samuel 1:9-11, 17-18, 26-28; 2:1-3

Christ-centered living chooses prayer, not hopelessness.

The Hebrew setting of Hannah has the beautiful and attractive meaning of “gracious” or “graciousness” or “favor” and by a slight change becomes the smoother Ann, Anne, or Anna.

In the biblical narrative, Hannah is one of two wives of Elkanah. The other, Peninnah, had given birth to Elkanah's children, but Hannah remained childless. Nevertheless, Elkanah preferred Hannah.  Hannah is the primary wife, yet Peninnah has succeeded in bearing children. Hannah’s status as primary wife and her barrenness recall Sarah and Rebecca.  Elkanah took Peninnah as a second wife because of Hannah’s barrenness.

While Hannah had a house she did not have a home. The ideal of every Jewess was to be “head of the home,” but she had no child, no family. She had a devout husband who loved her and bestowed richer gifts upon her than he did upon his other wife, but she was childless. From the record we have of Hannah she appears to have been a woman with an unblemished character. Piety reigned in her heart, and she maintained constant communion with the religious ordinances of her nation. Pious Hannah was separated unto the Lord, and amidst trying domestic relationships knew how to have recourse to Him for all necessary grace to bear her troubles.

As the years went by her agony became more intense, and her barrenness was a greater burden because of the jealousy and heartlessness of her rival, Peninnah, who frequently tantalized Hannah for being childless. But true to her name, she manifested the grace of self-control amid the cruel chidings and reproaches of Peninnah. Jealousy had taken possession of Peninnah, but not of Hannah. Although the Lord had “shut up her womb” Hannah's heart was still open toward Him. Made to sorrow by those nearest to her, Hannah was never guilty of any unwomanly, retaliatory conduct.   It was no easy task to live for years with a nasty woman like Peninnah, but Hannah retained her serenity of soul and was a veritable lily among thorns.

She cried day and night unto the Lord and was heard in that she feared Him whom her soul loved. Because of her godliness, devotion, trust, patience and self-sacrifice, she came to be signally blessed of the Lord, and, in turn, communicated to her renowned son Samuel something of her saintliness of life and character.


Her pain found a refuge in prayer. In God’s house, she besought the Creator “to raise her into the empire of motherhood,” and to interfere with the law of nature on her behalf. How moving is the episode of Hannah pouring out her soul before God in His house and vowing that if He would give her a son, then she would give him back to God for His exclusive use! She bargained with God, and kept her bargain. She took her particular sorrow to God, and prayed, not that Peninnah’s joy might be less, but that He would take away the cause of her own anguish. She gave herself to prayer, and in the presence of God her sorrow burst its bonds.

Yet even in God’s house at Shiloh she did not find at first the sympathy and understanding she sought. Think, for a moment, about some of the features of her heartfelt cry!  First of all, her prayer was of a peculiar kind. It was a supplication without external speech. Her lips moved but there was no sound. Her prayer was internal. While she never said a prayer, “she breathed a wish in her soul and sent it up unspoken right to the throne of God. It is a unique experience for the age of the Judges; the piety of Hannah is a ripe flower in an almost sterile field.” The old priest Eli, not meaning to be unkind when he saw Hannah’s lips moving and her whole being caught up in the fervency of her supplication and yet heard no words being expressed, somewhat felt that Hannah was drunk and upbraided her for coming into God’s house in such a condition.

Hannah protested her innocence and declared that she had never taken strong drink, and then poured out her soul to Eli who, discerning that her desire for a child was intense and her spirit, sacrificial, for she wanted nothing for herself alone, assured her that her inarticulate prayer had been heard. “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.” Down she went to her house content for she believed. She was no longer forlorn, sorrowful, heart-hungry, but joyous and buoyant. God granted her wish, and the yearned-for child arrived and she called his name Samuel, which means, “asked of the Lord.”

Hannah’s Psalm of Thanksgiving after the birth of Samuel marks her out as a poetess and prophetess of no mean order. With her desire fulfilled she bursts into song and pours forth her gratitude to God for His goodness. Hannah prayed and promised, and when her prayer was answered she quietly redeemed her promise. More than anything in the world she wanted a son, and when God gave her one, she gave him back to the Lord. Although Samuel was not born to the priesthood, his mother had sacredly pledged him to the Lord; and that pledge must be kept no matter what it might cost her in loneliness. So when weaned, Samuel was taken to the house of the Lord, “there to abide forever.”

Once a year she visited him and what a human touch we have in that she made a little coat for him to wear. Her saintliness and sacrifice were rewarded for she bore Elkanah five more children. As for Samuel, he grew up to reflect his revered mother’s godliness. True to the meaning of his own name, and in likeness to his mother’s prevailing intercession, he became a man of prayer and intercession all his days—and beyond all men had power with, and from, God.

The lessons to be gathered from the fascinating story of Hannah are first of all we realize how the excellencies of many men have usually been foreshadowed, if not exemplified, in the characters of their mothers. As no one in all the bleak world is more fitted to guide little feet God-ward, may heaven grant us more mothers like godly Hannah.

From Peninnah’s harsh treatment of Hannah we discover how a thoughtless, unloving word of ours can give sorrow to others.

From Hannah’s conduct under much provocation we first of all learn that the heart of God is a comforting retreat for a sorrowful soul. Whatever our particular sorrow may be, the Man of Sorrows waits to undertake. Hannah carried her trial and yearning to God in prayer and she teaches us something about the necessity for form and the spirit of intercession. Compare her silent heart-prayer with Psalm 19:14.

From Eli who misjudged Hannah we learn not to be too hasty in our conclusions. Too often we wrong others by misinterpreting their motives.

In Hannah’s mild and dignified defense of her character we learn how to defend our rights in all humility.

Christ-centered living chooses prayer, not hopelessness. Rather than wallowing in self-absorbed pity, turn to prayer and seek the path that God would have you walk.