1 Samuel 1:1-28.
It’s a matter of great joy to know that your actions or doings bring joy and happiness to the Almighty God. It is a great joy indeed, to notice that you acted in a way that brought good tidings to the Almighty God. What a joy! That is what happened when Hannah poured out her heart unto God at Shiloh. Even within herself, she knew that she had touched heaven because she rose with some joy within herself.
” And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord. I am a woman of a broken 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 Beliel; for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto” This was to inform Prophet Eli that Hannah was not drunk, but fervent in spirit. Then she added, “.. Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat , and her countenance was no more sad.” How many of us would settle resolutions in this manner? But Hannah did : to sort out her innermost heart’s challenge through prayers with God.
I see a number of men and women quarrel over issues not even as serious as the one in question. They go to any length to bring out all the sides of the argument to ensure that even the ” not so concerned” is put into the awareness of the issue at hand. But that was not Hannah. She knew that she was troubled. She also knew that the solution was not in the hands of man. But God was the solution, and God is still the solution .
So, what did Hannah do? The bitter lady buried herself in prayers because she knew that it was the way to go. The Bible tells us that the other wife of Elkanah, called Penninah, provoked her and would want them to always engage in quarrels. But that should not be for a woman whose saintly ambition is to have a child who would serve the LORD 24/7 through out his life. Therefore Hannah abandoned everything, and resolved to iron out this one thing: the gift of a son and the handing him over to the LORD.
Many of us would want to go off the lane and visit native doctors or soothsayer whose ambitions are to make money and to grow the art of falsehood. Have you ever seen a native doctor’s house and the people that visit the place? They are the well-to- do, the people that control and run the society. men and women who speak and every body listens. Their only problem is that they lack something: a baby, good health, a good son, a good relationship and all such things. So they will go to any length to resolve it.
I know that you are following me. I also know that you are silently making an inner statement that the end of my trouble has come . Hannah did that because you will notice that the man married another woman. So her time of waiting was not a short period. She only resolved to pursue the answer conclusively. And she got it.
My dear friend, I know you are in the know of the things that bother you. I also know that there are some of the things that when you remember them , you are left to wonder when the answer would come. My dear good friend, I know that heaven is listening and hearing your innermost heart’s thoughts. Can I really read your mind so as to sort out what is there? But I cannot. And that is why the only solution to your problem lies with God. Stop running to other places where through deceit they compound the problems. Resolve to settle with your Maker. He made you and no good thing will He withhold from those who diligently seek him. Amen.
God bless you as you table all those challenges before Him.
Pastor Luke Okoro can be reached on +2348051000462.
