Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” “Not so, my Lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”
Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

The story of Hannah in the Bible is a powerful one. She was infertile. In an agricultural society, where children helped on the farm or in the family business, the ability to have children was critical. And if you could not have children, it was considered a shameful thing. So Hannah was viciously made fun of by Elkanah”s second wife, Penninah, who had already born him children.

She was devoted to her faith and loved by her husband, and had become bitter about God not allowing her to have children. So she laid her heart out to God. She sought after him with all of her heart. She prayed in her anguish, long and hard! And she dedicated her future son to the Lord’s service through his youth.

I love this part of the story, because it shows that Hannah didn’t care about how she looked, how she sounded, or what others thought about her. She also kept her prayer private between God and her. She wept and prayed with all her heart. So much so, the priest thought she was drunk, as she mouthed words without sound.

She could have turned away from God or been angry at him. Instead, she ran to him and honored him by dedicating her future firstborn son. The son that would have pleased her husband to have and would have given her status and clout in society. Instead of allowing her bitterness to take root, she took it to the Lord, and placed her trust in him.

Have I prayed this hard for God to come through for me? Will I choose to honor him in my heartache ridden seasons?

Eli, the priest, asks God to grant Hannah her request. And later, God honors her prayer and gives her a son, Samuel. He would become a great prophet for the nation of Israel, and the one who anointed King David. (David was called a friend of God!)

When life doesn’t work out the way I planned, where do I run? Who (or what) do I call upon to deal with the heartaches and bitterness that build in life?

Lord, thank you for the story of Hannah. She is a rock of faith, and demonstrates a heart to pray fervently to you. May I also be one who continues to lay out my heart to you in prayer, with a reverence and a willingness to honor you.