S118P16 – Loaded statements: Hannah
1 Sam. 1:11
Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
Hannah’s request certainly contained an element of self-service. She had one husband, but he had two wives. Of the two wives, Hannah was the one who was barren. The scripture tells us more than once that the Lord had closed up her womb. The other wife produced children and would hold that over Hannah’s head regularly. Hannah’s husband loved her despite her barrenness, but she was not satisfied with her circumstance. She wanted to show that she could produce a child as well. The condition that the Lord brought upon Hannah, and the suffering it caused her, showed her exactly how badly she wanted a son, even if her reasons were many.
Hannah wanted to produce a son for her husband, for herself, and for her Lord. She laid out the bargain before God. It would be a great trade off. If God would give her a son, she would give that son to God’s purposes. He would be relinquished not for years but for a lifetime. Hannah’s vow required that she understand what it means for a life to be dedicated to the Lord. The son she produced could not be relied upon for anything more than fulfilling God’s will. This meant that she would have to take a back seat in her son’s life, because his purpose and priority rested in the things above. As much as that son might be her pride and joy, the Lord had to be his singular focus.
Samuel’s work as a great prophet of God’s required him to give his life to his work, just as his mother had promised. He was the one to anoint the great King David. We read so much about the prophet Samuel, but his mother’s appearance in scripture is brief. Hannah certainly considered what she could gain from having a son, but his story is all about what a mother was able to give the world through her child. He left no heirs behind him, but his history and impact on God’s people are critical to their progress still today. Father, show us how to live lives truly committed to your kingdom and your purposes, focused solely on what we are able to accomplish and produce for You.