DEVOTIONAL
The scriptures speak the solemn truth, for as it is written, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” For those whom the Lord has set His affections upon, He uses the ignorance of their corrupt desires, forming and fashioning them to be children, reborn with an incorruptible nature that will transcend the darkness of this fallen world. He guides them into the loving arms of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to receive His atoning sacrifice and holds them securely from this world to that which is to come. For as the Potter molds the clay vessels into the instruments of his liking, so a man may plan his ways, but the Lord directs his steps. Blessed be the name of the Lord God forever, Who is able to keep His beloved children from stumbling, and to make them stand in the presence of His glory blameless and with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, both now and forevermore.
Hannah was an upright woman who found herself in the sorrows of polygamy. Though this was tolerated under the old law, it was not the natural design instituted by the Lord from the beginning, for as it is written, “Man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” To add to her struggles, she was also barren and ridiculed by the rival wife who had bore her husband many children. Hannah was embittered and was a woman of a sorrowful spirit. We do not know how Hannah was brought into this kind of relationship, but what we do know is, that sin preys upon the weakness of human flesh and seeks to destroy the testimonies of God’s children.
Nevertheless, here we find Hannah, a woman who is struggling deeply within herself because of the trials that have come upon her. But the Lord, knowing His own, uses the circumstances in her life to bring her into a depth of prayer like she had never known before. With all of her pride shattered and greatly distressed, she began to weep with groans from the very depths of her soul before the Lord crying, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life.” The Lord heard her prayer, and His purposes were accomplished through Hannah. Hannah brought forth a son named Samuel, and Samuel was the instrument used by The Lord to chasten the corrupt priesthood of that day. You see, The Lord used Hannah’s affliction to bring her closer to Him and to use the child in her womb to judge the unrighteousness of Israel’s darkest days. Samuel judged God’s people with equity and was a foreshadowing of the greater priest, prophet, and judge Who would come to lay down His life for all of humanity, Jesus Christ. Will you come today as Hannah did? Will you set aside all of your pride and prejudice and pour out your soul to the Lord Jesus Christ, who will one day judge the world according to truth? May God help you do so.
“She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.”
1 Samuel 1:10 NASB