I Samuel Pt 12

 Taking care of what belongs to God
 

1 Sam 1:21-23
This man Elkanah went up with all his family to make the yearly sacrifice to the LORD and to keep his vow 

(I wonder what his vow was? Did he pray that his wife would conceive?) but Hannah did not go up with them. Instead she told her husband, "Once    

the boy is weaned (some sources say that this could have taken up to 3 years), I will bring him and appear before the LORD, and he will remain there from then on." -
So her husband Elkanah said to her, "Do what you think best. Stay until you have weaned him. May the LORD make good your promise." So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

In a similar fashion to Moses' mother (Jochebed) who nursed and cared for him in preparation for Pharaoh's house and God's will; So Hannah would nurse and ready her son Samuel for the House and Calling of God.

May we be like These women and prepare and encourage the 'young treasures' around us for His purpose as well.

Grace and peace

I Samuel pt 11

 Joy will last beyond the moment!
1 Sam. 1:19
Hannah woke up early the next morning and worshiped before the Lord, then went back home to Ramah. She was still not pregnant, but she praised God as if she was.
Then in vs.19b-20 it says " Elkanah lay with HANNAH his WIFE, and the LORD remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah conceived and GAVE BIRTH to a son. She called him Samuel... "What a delight y'all for her to finally have and hold what she had so desperately longed for! She had to have been overjoyed!
 

 This is what I see that Hannah has done with her barreness:
- Her brokenness came first
-Then her pouring out her heart to God
- Next came faith which led to worship
- Then Corresponding actions ( she had to do her part :-)

This is not a formula, but an observation and I believe the principles are still applicable today.

WITHOUT FAITH it is IMPOSSSiBLE to please God, For he that comes to HIM must BELIEVE that HE IS (exist), and that HE REWARDS those who Earnestly (seriously) seek HIM. Heb. 11:6

Samuel pt 10

1 Sam. 1:
After you have given your burdens to the Lord, do you feel lighter or is the heaviness still there?
At this point in the story, Hannah has gotten as close to God as could. She went to stand at the doorpost of the Lord's Temple. Eli was sitting on a chair. There Hannah poured out her heart to God, mixed in with a river of tears. According to what she knew God could do, she pleads with Him to remember her. Then she informs Eli (the priest) of her grief and her prayer to God. When understanding comes, he blesses her with a word of PEACE. She takes it to heart. Her response is "May your servant ( Hannah) find favor in your eyes".
Then the next sentence gives us the proof that she has left her burdens and grief with God. It says in vs.18b 'Then she went her way and ATE something and her FACE was no longer downcast.' Hannah was determined not to take back what she had given to God. The proof of her lighter load and faith that 'God would handle it' was that her appetite returned and her face was NO Longer DOWNCAST.
Her faith was expressed in real ways even though what she was praying for had NOT YET become tangible. It reminds me of the scripture that says " NOW FAITH is the substance of things HOPED for the EVIDENCE of things NOT seen". Heb. 11:1

'Cause sometimes BELIEVING is SEEING! ;-)

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Notes from I Samuel pt 9

1 Sam. 1:17
Don't we all hate it when our words or actions are twisted by someone else and we are accused falsely? Yes, None of us like it.
When Eli mistook Hannah's grieving for drunkenness, She responded like a pro. She did not put her hand on her hip, and bobble her head..Lol! She responded with HUMILITY and with TRUTH. 


Her words were full of grace. She said "Not so My Lord (to Eli the priest), 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...
When she spoke, she was believable. Her actions supported her story. With a little bit of clarity he could now see her actions in a different light. He gave up his preconceived notion for the truth she offered.
Because of this, Eli added his blessing to her prayers by saying
"Go in PEACE, and May the God of Israel GRANT you what you have ASKED of HIM."

If you are humbling standing in
'Truth' then May this apply to you as well..."Go in peace and may the God of Israel GRANT you what YOU have ASKED of HIM.

Stay tuned :-)
Grace and peace