May Bible Study

Illustration of Hannah presenting Samuel to Eli

Image Source:

https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-stories-lessons/6/hannahs-prayer

Read and Reflect:
Before reading the passage, pray for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to read and your ears to hear His personal message.

‘I am a woman despairing in spirit, I…have poured out my soul before the Lord’ I Samuel 1:15 (NASB). Hannah’s words were my own. We delayed having children for the first few years of our marriage. When we wanted to start a family, we were unable to. As the months and years grew, so did our despair at not having our own child. I was now forty and felt my time was running out. I questioned myself, and I questioned God. I cried, pleaded, and poured out my soul before the Lord as Hannah did. 

Desperate Times
Hannah was in a desperate situation. Her story is told in the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel 1:1-2:21. Hannah was the first and favoured wife of Elkanah, who had two wives. It was common in the culture of the time to have multiple wives. The other wife was Peninnah.  Peninnah had children, but Hannah could not. Elkanah loved Hannah, so when it was time to make an offering at Shiloh, he gave Hannah a double portion. Peninnah, although blessed with children, was blinded by jealousy and provoked Hannah to tears.  

Over the centuries, Hannah’s story resonates with multitudes of women longing to have children, but cannot. We are hurt by the labels we are given – barren, infertile, sterile, making us feel inadequate, but the most profound hurt is not being able to have a child of our own. 

“Here am I, Send Me.”

Isaiah 6:8

God’s Unusual Ways
The story continues with a bit of comical relief as Eli, the priest, mistakes Hannah for being intoxicated with wine because her lips are moving, but her voice is not heard. She is deep in prayer for what her heart desires. Hannah makes a vow to God. If she has a male child, she promises to give him to the Lord every day of his life.

Sometimes, God comes to us in unusual or unexpected ways. This time, God spoke to Hannah through the priest Eli, who misread the situation. Eli was ultimately used to proclaim God’s promise to her. Eli conveys this message to Hannah, ‘Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him,’ 1 Samuel 1:17. Hannah’s faith blossomed, and her demeanour transformed from desperation and hurt to quiet, calm assurance because God had heard her prayer.

God Knows, God Sees & God Remembers 
God remembered Hannah, and she had a son, Samuel. Hannah gave Samuel back to God to serve at the house of the Lord at Shiloh. Samuel grew and became a prophet whom God called to establish the future kings of Israel. Hannah went on to have five more children.

When we decided to fast and pray for a child of our own, I had to stop after just a few days because of extreme fatigue. We found out later that the fatigue was not just because I was fasting, but because I was pregnant!  

In 1 Samuel chapter 2:1-10, we read Hannah’s prayer to God, declaring her praise to an all-knowing God who listens and watches and transforms or reverses situations. ‘He watches over the feet of His godly ones, but the wicked ones are silenced in darkness, for not by might shall a person prevail,’ 1 Samuel 2:9. Hannah recognises that not all situations can be resolved by a person’s own want or will.  Hannah herself could not resolve her inability to have children or the taunting of Peninnah, but God could.

Hannah’s story helps us understand that God knows our situations and sees our hearts. We understand that the answer may not always be what we want, but our lives have been and will be part of God’s sovereign plan. He is an all-knowing God who considers our requests from the perspective of His great love, His will, and His ultimate plans.

Let us search our hearts:

• After reading 1 Samuel 1:1­­-2:21 for the first time, reread it and look for words or phrases that speak to you.  What does God want you to reflect on today?
• Are you in an impossible situation or experiencing disappointment? Pray, knowing God sees your heart and knows your situation.

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