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1 Samuel 1:1-7

 

There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD. Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.

 

Hannah was constantly provoked by her rival Peninnnah. This was because the lord had closed Hannah’s womb. However, Hannah did not give up. She prayed. Prayer gentlemen is the key to everything.

Hannah recognised God’s blessing in spite of the constant nagging. Her husband Elkanah was driven by the lord to love her more. This act Of Elkanah has probably convinced Hannah to put more trust on the Lord.

 

1 Samuel 1:10-11

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

 

The Posture of Hannah’s heart in her prayer. Was not to boast by being able to conceive but was to Glorify God. Her posture was not to seek revenge but to dedicate.

God knows the posture of your heart. How is the posture of your heart today in prayer? Are you doing it just because everyone else is? Are we praying for self-gain?

Prayer Points

 Prayer point:

 

• Let us pray to God to help us align our thoughts and plans to God’s will.

• Let us pray to God to help us recognise those who need more support.

• Let us pray that our posture in prayer is Humble, mercy seeking, and our vision is fixed on the target that God intends us to see.

 

2.

 

1 Samuel 1:21-22

Hannah Dedicates Samuel

When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always.”

 

Hannah was blessed. She knew that the hand of the Lord was on her so she worked silently and nurtured Samuel, till the day of his dedication.

Imagine a woman who was barren , she then conceives and after nurturing the child gives him to the Lord . To stay away from her for the rest of his life. Only someone with the highest measure of faith and gratitude would be able to do that.

Hannah knew that God had control over her circumstance and hence she did not hesitate to give God control over shaping the course of her son’s life.

What are we holding on to that belongs to God? Our finances, our children, our future plans , our retirement plans.

In God we do not retire, we are carried through to victory.

Prayer point:.

• God help us give up everything to you,

• to completely surrender to you.

• Help us give up our controlling nature.

 

3. LOVE

Giving up your most precious possession.

 

John 3:16-17

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

 

We are in a season of sacrifice. We are born into sin. The only way to maintain communication with God was the need of a sacrifice.

In the Old Testament the shedding of blood in a sacrifice was necessary for the forgiveness of sin.

Our creator so magnificently planned the victory over satan. The devil  did not know that he was checkmated even before the battle begun.

The devil thought he was victorious at the cross when the Son was sacrificed but the climax was yet to come on the third day when his buried body began to breathe. Now the devil is silenced forever by the blood of the lamb. The grave has no claim over us.

Prayer point:-

Pray and adore God for this victory and the grace you have been given because of the sacrifice and the resurrection . 

Fear not for he is risen and interceding for you this very second.