The Faith of Hannah

1 Samuel 1-2

1:5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah,

She may not have had children, like his other wife, but he loved her more! She had His favor!

but the LORD had closed her womb.

NOT a fault within her, but the Lord – to increase the heart cry

Oftentimes, the lord delays the answer to what we ask for so that our heart’s cry will produce something greater. It is the fervent, effectual prayer of a righteous man which avails much.

1:6 Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her

Our adversary will attempt to make us believe that it is our deficiency causing the delay.
It was her adversary, however, who provoked her to a place of desperation

1:8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, …Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

She had the favored position of her husband, and could have lived a good life. She wanted more!
The desire to have children comes from a vision which surpasses your life. Birthing a legacy.
A maternal instinct dating back to Eve (“Mother of all the living”)
Her vision for generations brought about one prophet who would shape the course of history.

1:11 She made a vow and said… give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.”

When we are willing to sacrifice the thing we love – even the fulfilled promise of God to us – we open the potential for God to bring something from the invisible Kingdom in to the here and now.

It is ALWAYS a choice of whose Kingdom we wish to build

ABRAHAM AND ISAAC

1:19 and the LORD remembered her. Lit: marked – “That’s the womb I’ve been looking for!”

Her faith produced a son who would be among the greatest prophets the world had seen

1:22 … “I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD and stay there forever.”

She gave him his nurturing foundation – filling in for a husband who seemed disinterested

Susanna and Samuel Wesley: 19 children. 9 died as infants. Only 8 alive when she died

2:18 Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.

He learned to minister to the Lord as Priest before he became a prophet. Hannah and Eli gave him roots

2:19 And his mother would make him a little robe

She made for him the priestly garments – robed him with righteousness
A mother with vision for her children can do it – even without a husband’s help

2:20-21 … “May the LORD give you children from this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD.” … The LORD visited Hannah; and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters.

She didn’t miss out on a thing!

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