FRIDAY May 13, 2022
Safe in the Hands of God
“For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.
1 Samuel 1:27-28
After the book of Ruth, we have the books of I Samuel and 2 Samuel. There are three main characters introduced––the prophet Samuel, King Saul and King David.
1 Samuel begins with a woman named Hannah, who was sorrowful because she had no children. Her husband had two wives; the other, Peninnah, became her rival. She had children and made Hannah’s life miserable. In biblical times, barrenness brought much shame. Elkanah took his family to Shiloh every year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord.
Hannah was in deep distress, and she pleaded with God for a child. She was at the point of despair and made a vow to the Lord:
...she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish. 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” (1 Samuel 1:10-11).
As she only moved her lips, Eli the priest accused her of being drunk (1 Samuel 1:14). Sadly, he was not sensitive to her pain or in tune with the Lord. Hannah explained her sorrow; she was pouring her heart out to God. Eli responded to her, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him” (1 Samuel 1:17).
Hannah conceived and Samuel was born. Samuel means “asked of God.” After Samuel was weaned, Hannah kept her promise to God and took Samuel to serve the Lord in the temple for the rest of his life. By faith, she placed her son in the hands of God. Who do you need to place in the hands of God?
...my times are in those hands which were nailed to the cross for my redemption.
~C.H.Spurgeon~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
