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4 When Elkanah sacrificed, he passed helpings from the sacrificial meal around to his wife Peninnah and all her children, 5 but he always gave an especially generous helping to Hannah because he loved her so much, and because God had not given her children. 6 But her rival wife taunted her cruelly, rubbing it in and never letting her forget that God had not given her children. 7 This went on year after year. Every time she went to the sanctuary of God she could expect to be taunted. Hannah was reduced to tears and had no appetite. 8 Her husband Elkanah said, "Oh, Hannah, why are you crying? Why aren't you eating? And why are you so upset? Am I not of more worth to you than ten sons?" 9 So Hannah ate. Then she pulled herself together, slipped away quietly, and entered the sanctuary. The priest Eli was on duty at the entrance to God's Temple in the customary seat. 10 Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried - inconsolably. 11 Then she made a vow: Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, If you'll take a good, hard look at my pain, If you'll quit neglecting me and go into action for me By giving me a son, I'll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I'll set him apart for a life of holy discipline. 12 It so happened that as she continued in prayer before God, Eli was watching her closely. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, silently. Her lips moved, but no sound was heard. Eli jumped to the conclusion that she was drunk. 14 He approached her and said, "You're drunk! How long do you plan to keep this up? Sober up, woman!" 15 Hannah said, "Oh no, sir - please! I'm a woman hard used. I haven't been drinking. Not a drop of wine or beer. The only thing I've been pouring out is my heart, pouring it out to God. 16 Don't for a minute think I'm a bad woman. It's because I'm so desperately unhappy and in such pain that I've stayed here so long." 17 Eli answered her, "Go in peace. And may the God of Israel give you what you have asked of him." 18 "Think well of me - and pray for me!" she said, and went her way. Then she ate heartily, her face radiant. 19 Up before dawn, they worshiped God and returned home to Ramah. Elkanah slept with Hannah his wife, and God began making the necessary arrangements in response to what she had asked. Dedicating the Child to God 20 Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. She named him Samuel, explaining, "I asked God for him." (1 Samuel 1:4-20 The Message Bible)
A blessed and marvelous Wednesday to you, ConCafe Family, and may you be an agent of change for good among God's people, Friend, is my prayer for you. I request prayers for Ms. Terry Schoenert, of San Antonio, who underwent surgery, the surgery went well, but complications made it necessary for her to be in ICU. There have been no updates on her condition, but we trust God with her healing. Also, Please pray for the family of Carolyn Spillers (Jeanette Mayer’s sister). Carolyn passed away on Sunday. Please pray for all who are on your prayer list; pray for one another, and pray for your personal needs.
We come to a famiiar story from 1 Samuel. Yet, as most of us well know, the familiar doesn't always stay familiar; sometimes our eyes see beyond the familiar and get challenged with the new, the outrageous, and the unexpected. There are several characters in this drama; God, Elkanah, the husband to two wives; Peninnah, who is quite fertile and has children, and the second wife, Hannah, who had no children, thus setting the stage for what is going to transpire in this familiar story. Oh, yes, to make the story more soap-opera worthy, the two wives don't really care for each other. Well, to be honest, Peninnah liked to flaunt that she had borne their husband some heirs, and Hannah had not. I will throw in that Hannah means "Favor," which will be more obvious as our story moves forward. I should also say that Hannah was a woman of faith. And patience. Penni was not one to keep to herself her boasting of having had children, and so year after year, she would taunt Hannah, especially when they were in Jerusalem at temple. This would lead the poor woman to tears every year. And this particular year she was driven to not eat as she had no appetite. Her husband grieved alongside her and has to ask her, "Why are you crying? Why aren't you eating? And why are you so upset? Am I not of more worth to you than ten sons?" This at least allowed her to eat, and slipped into the temple while no one was looking and cried and cried in the temple, while the priest Eli was on duty. And it was shile she cried and prayed, that she made a vow to God. "Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, if you would but grant me my request of giving me a son, I will give him completely to You. I will set him apart for a life of holy discipline." Eli, being at the entrance of the temple watched her as she moved her lips as she was praying in her heart, and the priest thought that she had to be drunk and so he approached her and yelled, "You're drunk! How long do you plan to keep this up? Sober up, woman!" Hannah replies that she is not drunk and has ony pouring out her heart to God, and shared with him the pain and sorrow she held in her heart. The priest can only say that she should go in peace, with the blessing that God grant to her the request of her heart. She, in leaving, asks that he also pray for her. With her appetite back, she ate heartily and her face was radiant again. Early the next morning, she joined the family in worship and they returned home to Ramah. I love the verse where it says, "Elkanah slept with Hannah his wife, and God began making the necessary arrangements in response to what shd had asked, dedicating the Child to God. And before the year was over, Hannah was pregnant and delivered a son, whom she named Samuel, which meant "I asked God for him."
Hannah is one of several women in the Bible who were considered barren but with God's blessings deivered children. Remember Sarah (Gen. 17:16-19), Rebekah (Gen 25:21-26), Rachel (Gen 29, 31), the mother of Samson (Jg 13:2-5), and Elizabeth (Lk 1:5-17)? These stories underscore the power of God to work amazing things when every one has already given up hope; reminding us that God is a God of hope and new life. And the Bible being the honest book that it is, shares the pain and hopelessness some women feel when it comes to childbearing and infertility; and while not all who want children may not have them, we still believe that God is with us and can guide and use us, and that our self-worth in God's eyes does not count on who we think we need to be; God loves us just as we are and what we offer to Him, and through Him, to others. What Hannah requested and what she promised not many women, or men, would be capable of doing. She wanted a son and had a son, but enjoyed him only untill he was weaned. At that point of his life, she presented him back to God to serve Him. Yes, sometimes our children act in ways that at some moments we would gladly present them to God for God to take them off our hands, but it would be very difficult to truly surrender our children to God. I remember discussing ministry with a mom whose son showed interest in knowing more about serving God in that way, and she replied, without much hesitation, en espanol, "Ni lo mande Dios!" which means quite expllicity, "GOD FORBID!" Indeed.
PRAYER: Loving God, You know our situations, our pains, our sorrows, and the needs we have expressed to You. Our prayer is that You would bless us with what we need to better serve You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Render unto God the things that are God's.
Receive my blessings of joy and hope,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
