Hannah's House

I studied Hannah this week, she was Elkanah's wife. She had a problem. It was him and his other wife! Her name is Peninnah. She already had sons and daughters , and Hannah didnt have any. But they would go up to Shiloh to the tabernacle to worship and offer sacrifices and Elkanah gave sacrifices for Peninnah and sons and daughters but he gave a double portion to Hannah. But Peninnah provoked her about her barreness, and irritated her to know end, till she wept. Elkanah loved her that is why the double portion but he thought his love for her should be enough. The evils of polygamy cause havoc in the home, no doubt about that. But Hannah could not change her circumstance in her home. But when she went up to Shiloh after worship she went to pray at the temple( tabernacle) and her lips moved in tearful petition before the Lord and Eli the Priest thought she was drunk but that was not the case. She asked the Lord for a male child and vowed to give him back to the Lord. This was such a desire of hers and she did it in a most reverant way. When she was done praying she wiped her tears and rested in the Lord trusting Him with her dearest petition to Him.The Lord answered her prayer and Samuel( because he was from the Lord) she then praises the Lord with such a praiseworthy grateful from the heart prayer that exalts the Lord and shows who she is, later we find out the Lord blesses her with 3 boys and 2 girls, Hannah has her own home.
Her husband had the wrong thought process....he should never have married two women, because there is consequences to that ( like Leah and Rachel) and he also thought he was kind of macho like why was she crying about not having children( Dont I mean more to you than 10 sons) he just didnt get it. But Hannah vowed before the Lord, kept her vow and gave Samuel to Eli to be in the temple and serve the Lord. He was a priest, prophet , judge for Israel and served Saul the first king and David as well. In Gods goodness, in His most Sovereign plan He chose to use the circumstances of Hannahs house to bring someone to faithfully serve Him because Eli and his sons were on there way out as Samuel prophetically tells them. They had not been obedient to the Lord.
Gods ways are not our ways...He does what He pleases for His purposes...and along the way He blesses and disciplines us for our good and for His glory.
Whats the problem in your house? What do you grieve over? When has God led you into a time of dissapointment before granting your hearts desire? How can we be encourged by Hannah? What is your experience of Gods faithfulness in your life? When did God " remember" you? What prayer will you record how the Lord dealt with you? How will you pass it on?


My heart rejoices in the Lord
In the Lord my horn is lifted up
My mouth boasts over my enemies
for I delight in Your deliverance
There is no one holy like the Lord
there is no one besides You
there is no Rock like our God....


What will my prayer be? A song in my heart( praise, gratefulness, attitude of worship) what will it be?