This week's Bible Study - May 10, 2009
Hannah: Ideals of Motherhood
 Background Scripture:
1 Samuel 1:1-2:2
Quote of the Week:
“My mother always told me I wouldn't amount to anything because I procrastinate. I said 'Just wait.'”
-- Judy Tenuta
May 10 is Mother's Day 2009. Almost everyone has a good relationship with their mom. Of course, there are exceptions, as some moms tend to care more for themselves and less about their children, but those are few and far between. In Christian and non Christian homes, the relationship between mother and child is usually strong. We know that we can count on our moms for many things throughout life, not just as young children. We should all be thankful for our moms - I know I am for mine.
Several reading this are mothers. They know the ups and downs of being a mother and have set good examples for their own children. Personally, being a male, I do not know all about motherhood, but I have seen several great examples. In any relationship, there are times when we make mistakes. This is true of fathers, siblings, children and mothers. There have been books written regarding the traits of a mother. There have been books written than help in the rearing of children. The Bible shows many of the traits that are admirable in all different types of relationship, including motherhood.
This lesson is about Hannah. You would have to be involved in church for quite a long time to really know about Hannah, unless you just happen to hit the week every few years where you read about her. You may know more about Samuel, her son, but a lot of what made him strong was based on the role of his mother.
The story begins with a man named Elkanah, from the hill country of Ephraim. His lineage was mentioned - son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph. These are not the common names for people today, but it is interesting that the Bible mentions each of these generations. We need to consider is how one generation impacts another. We are tied together with our descendants. Often, past successes and failures trickle down to future generations. Each of us has a measure of success and we all know what it means to fail. Our actions and how we respond to our successes and failures will have an impact on generations to come. In one sense, that is a very awesome thought - in another sense, it can be very scary.
Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. This was fairly common in many Old Testament stories - and not the point of this lesson. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Can you imagine how people viewed these two women? Peninnah was always doing things with kids and carrying them around. Children were considered a treasure from the Lord, so people surely looked upon Peninnah with favor. Hannah, on the other hand, had no children. Was she cursed? Did she have other problems? We need to be careful to not equate the ability to have children as a sign of God's blessing and the inability as a sign of a curse. God uses each of us in our own ways. Peninnah used her situation as an opportunity to goad and provoke Hannah. She must have considered herself better and more blessed because of her ability to have children. We should find this type of attitude deplorable, but in all honesty, we have to admit our sin when we have similar thoughts. We look at those who have and those who have not and assume that one is better than the other in the eyes of the Lord, because of their situation.
Elkanah was a holy man. Year after year he went from his own town to the temple at Shiloh. He went to worship and offer sacrifices. Hophni and Phinehas, sons of Eli, were priests at Shiloh. Elkanah gave portions of meat for Peninnah and her children, but he gave double portions for Hannah, because he loved her and because of her inability to have children. The abuse that Hannah took from Peninnah impacted her greatly. She wept until she was unable to eat. Elkanah (typical male?) saw her crying and assumed that she should be content because she had him. That may be a mischaracterization of his thoughts, but those of us who are men can understand not being able to understand a woman in distress. We tend to think we should be able to 'do' something to make it better. Often, we are ill equipped and unable to do anything to solve the problem. Such was the case with Elkanah.
After things were drawing to a close in Shiloh, Hannah stood up in the temple. She was by herself, or so she thought. She didn't realize that Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord.
Hannah was very emotional and very much moved to approach the Lord. The impact of Peninnah and her children, and likely even Elkanah's treatment of her had worn on her. She approached the Lord, in the bitterness of soul. Sometimes, we think we have to have our life all together before God can hear our prayers. When have you felt that your life was in 'good enough' shape to approach God? We need to realize that God knows our thoughts, our feelings, our moods - and we should approach God in honesty.
Hannah made a vow to the Lord. If He would look upon her situation and give her a son, she would devote his life to the Lord for all the days of his life. If she had a son, he would belong to the Lord, totally. She kept praying, over and over - with her lips moving, but with no words to be heard.
Eli the priest saw this woman crying and speaking with no words, and immediately he assumed that she must be drunk. Apparently he had seen similar in the past. Hannah protested that she was not drunk, but was deeply troubled. She said that she was pouring out her soul to the Lord. She said that she was not a wicked woman, but was praying out of great anguish and grief.
Eli listened to her rebuttal and told her to go in peace. He was moved by her passion and sincerity. Certainly, this was not a woman who was engaging in ritualistic prayer. It was a time that she really involved herself in her request. When you pray, have you been guilty of going through the motions? It can be easy to just speak the words, even the right words and just not be moved. I believe when we are truly moved to pray for a situation or to pray for others, we will be moved and it will impact us. In my own life, I've found prayer to be a time where I can develop a relationship not only with my Lord, but in some sense, I grow closer to the people that I am praying for.
Hannah found comfort in the words of Eli. It didn't really solve anything, but she was able to put that issue to rest. She had done all that she could do and it didn't need to be the thing that defined her life forever. Sometimes, we go through situations and we make that the focus of our lives over and over. I don't intend to say that life is not hard and that it doesn't take time to get past some things, but I do believe that we often hold onto things too long. In this case, Hannah heard Eli's words; then she went and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.
The next morning, they arose and worshiped before the Lord - and then returned home. At home, Elkahan laid with Hannah and the Lord remembered her. In the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named the boy Samuel, meaning "Because I asked the Lord for him". God had answered her request. Could it be that she finally laid it over to God and found peace in giving it to him?
Some people might read this and say that if you approach God as Hannah did, your request would be answered, always. We know from experience that God does not answer all of our requests. He is no genie that will heal every disease, restore every relationship or fix everything in life. We'd like to think that there was a formula you could follow and get the result you wanted. I truly believe that Hannah's life changed when she realized it was out of her hands. She made her request known to the Lord and she was content in whatever way it turned out. Sure, she wanted a child, but I believe she found that precious peace of God - the peace of contentment in her situation. This is what we should seek - let your needs be known to God, but rest in his will - even if it doesn't match your own.
The next year, when Elkanah went with his family to offer the annual sacrifice, Hannah stayed back with the child. She told Elkanah that when Samuel was weaned, she would take him and present him before the Lord, and that he would live there always.
Being a man, Elkanah was probably confused. Hannah had wanted nothing more than a child. He had heard that over and over; and now she had the boy. But, now she was content to give him back to the temple. He told her, "Do what seems best to you". He had surely heard of her prayer and her intention, but it would seem that he wasn't fully behind the decision. Yet, he left it to her to make.
Hannah stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. Then, she took him to the house of the Lord, along with a three year old bull, flour and wine. When she got to the temple, the bull was sacrificed and then she took the boy to Eli. She told him that she was the woman who had been praying at the temple in the previous year. Eli had not known what the request was, but she told him that she prayed for the child and after the Lord had granted her that request, she committed him to the Lord.
This is probably a difficult thing for most of us to understand. We can relate to her wanting to have the child, and even making 'promises' when she prayed to the Lord. If God granted her request, she would do such and such. We've all been there - God, if you do this or that, I'll do this great thing. Often, when God works, we forgot what we had pledged. Hannah was true to her vow. This showed great character present in her life.
Hannah knew that God had worked in her life, and she was grateful. All of this makes me think that she was to be content in whatever way that God worked. But, when God answered her request, she didn't take it selfishly and abide by another set of rules. She went back to God in prayer. We often will approach God with the need, but how often are we willing to go back and proclaim his greatness after a need has been met?
In her prayer, she rejoiced in the Lord. His greatness was known and allowed her to boast over her enemies. Her deliverance came through him. After this point, there was nothing that Peninnah could say to her - she had seen God's hand upon her life in the granting of a miracle. She could take any type of abuse, if any abuse was still coming. Peninnah had to take a step back, because she had to see how God had worked in Hannah's life.
Hannah continued to say that there was no one holy like the Lord. There are people who try to lift themselves up - leaders have come and gone - they have equated themselves to God, yet they are no longer remembered. God's power and might is above all. Indeed, he is a rock - the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Hannah had experienced a personal act of God in her life and for that, she was thankful.
Closing
You might think this lesson would have instilled some good values for raising children. In one sense, it seemed to say that once you get them, give them back. Actually, that is likely one of the key points of this lesson. When we put anything ahead of our relationship with God, we suffer. God blesses in many ways, and the appropriate response is to give all that we have to God. Realize that we are stewards of his money. Realize that we are to help children grow in the knowledge of the Lord. But, we cannot wrap our arms around them and protect them. True protection only comes from the Lord.
Hannah truly sought God. Perhaps you are in the middle of something right now and you have been seeking God often to take that request to him. Take that request to him in all honesty and lay your heart before him. Try and find the ability to hand that request over to God and trust him with it. You may get what you were asking for, but then again, it may never happen. Regardless, if you trust God in your situations, realize that his will is best - even when you don't understand it.
For those of you who are mothers, Happy Mother's Day. Remember that, whether you were once barren or not, your children are a gift from God. But, you need to realize that you are only stewards of that gift. For those of you who may not be able to have children, this holiday may be difficult. However, realize that God has a plan for you. When we can trust him to take care of our needs, he will come through for us. Don't give him the result you are looking for and only be pleased if you get it. God's been at this a lot longer than any of us, and he can take any situation and use it to bring glory to his name.
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