What Hannah Did

I'm presently in the Book of First Samuel, and I wanted to post this before, but I just did not have the time.

Hannah is a Godly woman, and just like prior to other Godly women in the Bible, she had to wait on the Lord for her heart's sole desire. She was barren. Not only so, but she was provoked by her adversary (Chapter 1, v.6), mocked because the Lord had shut up her womb. That caused her great sadness so that would not eat (v.7). In verse 10, the author writes that she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore.

She was a smart woman, what I like to call "a prayer warrior". Quick to get on her knees and unashamed of pouring her heart out at the altar of God. She speaks and reasons with Him, makes a vow unto the Lord (v.11), that if He would look on her affliction and give her a man child she would dedicate Him unto the Lord all the days of His life.

1Sa 1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept
sore.
1Sa 1:11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt
indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget
thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give
him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon
his head.
1Sa 1:12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the
LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.
1Sa 1:13 Now Hannah, she spake in her
heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought
she had been drunken.
1Sa 1:14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be
drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
1Sa 1:15 And Hannah answered and said,
No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor
strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
1Sa 1:16 Count
not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my
complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
1Sa 1:17 Then Eli answered and
said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast
asked of him.
1Sa 1:18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy
sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more
sad.

She prayed with sincerity and didn't hold back anything. She prayed in her heart, probably in purpose of humility. In relation to my other post "Unbelief", Hannah certainly did not lack belief in the Lord. After having prayed and having received a blessing from Eli (v.18) Hannah gets back on her way, eats and her countenance was no more sad!

Two verses below, she conceives Samuel and Hannah keeps her vow unto the Lord:

1Sa 1:21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD
the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
1Sa 1:22 But Hannah went not up; for she
said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I
will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.
1Sa 1:23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good;
tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman
abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
1Sa 1:24 And when she had
weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of
flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in
Shiloh: and the child was young.
1Sa 1:25 And they slew a bullock, and
brought the child to Eli.
1Sa 1:26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul
liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.
1Sa 1:27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition
which I asked of him:
1Sa 1:28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD;
as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD
there.

In chapter two, we read a beautiful prayer by Hannah. Not only does she keep her vow unto God but gets right back on those praying kness which served her well. In verse 5, she says "so that the barren hath borne 7". Now again, just a few verses below, in verse 21, Hannah conceives again and bares three more sons and two daughters!

Prayer is a must but for Hannah (and for us), it would have been in vain had she not trusted that the Lord would hear her cry and fulfil her heart's desire in due time. There comes that Belief again! There was a change in her attitutude prior to the answered prayer. And how important is it to keep our vows and to remember the Lord who beheld our affliction.

I'm really enjoying reading my Old Testament again. There are so many great hidden lessons. Truly the only way to Know the Lord is through His Word.