The Mysterious Way of God
I Samuel 1:5 NKJV
“But to Hannah he, ( her husband, Elkanah), would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb.”
What a sad thing to have happen to a woman who really would love to have children! Yet, our verse for today states that it was the Lord who had closed her womb. I love Hannah’s posture before the Lord—she simply would not give up her intercession and pulling on the Lord for a child. I Samuel 1:7 tells us that this barrenness went on year by year, and that she would go up to the House of the Lord weeping and fasting. I Samuel 1:10 says, “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.” The story goes on and tells us she made a vow to God that if He would give her a son, she would give him back to her. Eli saw her and approached her, thinking she was drunk. Upon understanding what her crying out before the Lord was about, he prophesied in verse 17, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” Wow! I love when God speaks so directly to us!
Hannah did not realize she was not only contending for one son, but God gave her five more children. Hannah’s whole personality is revealed to us here. The story goes on to tell us that when she had Samuel, she praised the Lord with all her heart, from the very center of her being.
Not only did Hannah press into the Lord with her petition for a child, but she did it under extreme pressure. I Samuel 1:6 tells us, “And her rival, (Peninnah), also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb.” What a gal! I want you to be miserable, and I want to gloat over you as you are! Isn’t that just like the enemy of our soul today? Attack and then watch you suffer under the pressure of the battle, taunting you to cave in and give up. But God…heard her desperate intercession and opened her closed womb.
Maybe you have something closed to you in your life. Maybe it’s a job, or a relationship, or having a child, etc. Do you feel to ask for the tenacity of Hannah and press into God for His answer and direction? Daniel 2:22 says, “He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.” Be bold before the Lord today. Ask Him about the deep things that are on your heart. Maybe, like Hannah, He is waiting for you to press into Him with all your heart. Who knows, maybe He will relent as He did with Hannah, or maybe He has another powerful plan for your life that you don’t know about yet, but maybe He would be willing to shine light on what it is for you presently. He is the God who hears and answers prayer, no matter what the enemy has thrown at us, God knows how to bring breakthrough. What seems impossible in the eyes of man, is not impossible with God. He knows the way for each one of us. It is a good way, a prosperous way, a healing way.
Are you ready to press into the Lord like Hannah? Lay it all out at His feet. Tell Him all your thoughts and feelings about what it is you want to bring to Him. He is a good, good father. He is listening and will answer in His time and in His way. He knows what is best for each of us. I love Him so!
