#WomenOfTheScriptures Hannah: A Choice To Choose

💕Shalom sisters! Finally we are knocking on the door of the Sabbath! So yesterday we left off on verse 8 “Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?”  Hannah’s husband was genuinely concerned, yet we see he also is telling her am I not better to you than 10 sons? Why aren’t enough? Why do you still grieve? We don’t know if she answered him or not, but the scriptures doesn’t show what her reply was or even if there was.. BUT what would your reply would have been? Let’s take a moment to ponder on that because her husband asked a valid question OR maybe no reply was the reason there was none.. but we do see later where she does reply..  1 Samuel 1:9-18 starts with “Hannah rose up”.. Remember the prior scriptures showed where she was trodden down from being provoked by the adversary.. which is what happens to us from time to time. We forget what we learned from the bible and how to defeat the adversary. In Hannah’s case, she decided to do what she knew.. She rose, she didn’t stay sulking.. although still in bitter, and low.. it said in verse 10 she wept sore.. Can yall imaging weeping until you are sore?? I know I have been there.

Here is where we now get into Hannah’s dedication and sacrifice.. which ignites the start of something beautiful.. Verse 11 says: And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.” Hannah, spoke with the intent to be heard by Yahuah.. She wanted HIM to know that she was serious and needed this prayer to be answered, so much so that she took a vow knowing that HIS timing is perfect. This vow Hannah made was way bigger than her, it was a prayer with a purpose petitioned with a sacrifice and in her brokenness she trusted for HIM not only to grant her request, BUT change her in the process.. Let’s look at the rest verses 11-18, because yall gotta to KNOW this was no ordinary prayer! And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. Hannah chose to Rise from her sunken place! Eli, thought she was drunk, she was in that place.. so much so The priest told her go in peace and The Most High will grant they petition!!! See Hannah was speaking in her ‘secret place’.. her mouth moved.. but no sound.. YET her words moved mountains.. This is why I wished we could have did Hannah before we did the Moving Mountains prayer, because this is the spirit we needed to be in. The scriptures said she was a woman of a sorrowful spirit.. and she let it be known by pouring her soul to The Most High. That sister was like, FATHER, you got to hear me! What else is there to do? When there’s nothing else to do?? Sometimes, that’s all HE wants you to do. Is be to the point where all you have to depend on is HIM. After just that one cry out..she did what Eli said ans went in peace, her countenance changed, she ate.. and was not sad anymore!!... Now, my beautiful sisters.. Daughters of Zion,  why do you think that? Unlike some of us, after we go to prayer before HIM.. we still sulk.. mope.. like we forgot WHO WE SERVE! #SomeBodyWillGetItONThe2ndRead.  What if HE led you there to your lowest point to show you that HE is there also? Why is it we forget that when we are praising HIM for the good days.. because we know it was because of HIM, yet we don’t have that same mindset when we are broken. I get it. I do, when you are at that place of brokenness you lose sight.. but here is what I want you to know. While the silence is sometimes deafening, HE has not lost sight of you.  Verse 18 should give us hope, like Hannah. She went about her business having that mustard seed faith that her FATHER heard her and was already at work. She did not fret, doubt, wonder if she was heard.. she KNEW.  So why don’t you?

🎬Up Next: Final Act Hannah’s Answered Prayer