Hannah: a lesson in faith and prayer

One of the women I related to the most in the Bible is Hannah. A woman who desperately wanted a child and had to suffer month after month when it was evident she hadn’t conceived. She was treated with malice and ridicule by her husband’s second wife , who was able to have child after child, but she never responded with malice in return. She may have even suffered from the pitiful, sympathetic looks from the women in her community.  Instead she suffered in silence and poured her heart out to God. Her story is told briefly in 1 Samuel 1-2:11, 19-21. While her story is short, it has an impact felt by many and, by her example, can give hope to other women who suffer from infertility. Her story is one of affliction, despair and faith. It is also an example of God’s comfort and concern for the oppressed and afflicted. 

Hannah actively avoids her husband’s second wife, Peninnah, a woman who has given birth when Hannah has not. Her husband, Elkanah, attempts to comfort her which only adds to her pain and isolation. On a yearly trip to the Tabernacle, Hannah stays behind as the rest of her family goes to rest for the night. She stays there, weeping and praying. Her lips were silent but her heart poured out to God. She prays that if God would grant her a son, she would give him to the Lord for all the days of his life (1 Samuel 1:11). When Eli, the priest, spots her, he assumes she is drunk, which was common, and confronts her. Hannah explains why she is there, Eli blesses her. Back home, Hannah conceives and gives birth to Samuel. After Samuel is weaned (about 3 years old), she takes him to Eli at the temple. Each year Hannah would present Samuel with a robe she made as the family would make the trip to the temple. Each year Eli would ask God to bless her, to replace the child she prayed for and gave up for the Lord. Hannah would become the mother of three more sons and two daughters. Like Sarah and Rachel, Hannah grieved for the children she couldn’t have. Unlike them, Hannah took her anguish directly to God. Instead of pitying herself, she poured out her heart and soul to God. 

Infertility is defined as not being able to conceive after a minimum of six months of unprotected sex. Infertility is physically and emotionally draining that despite her best efforts, a woman is unable to become pregnant. Women who cannot have children often feel less than female. The emotional pain is tremendous with debilitating personal sorrow made worse by a husband’s disappointment, pressure from the families and pity from society. Hannah was a woman of faith who turned to God when she was in the depths of her deepest sorrow. She realized only He would answer her prayer and only He could prove the consolation and purpose in life she desperately wanted. As I faced my own infertility issues, I took Hannah’s example to heart and prayed to God. After I suffered my first miscarriage in May 2010, I looked to God for answers, for guidance and peace it be His will that I never have children. I prayed that he would give the doctors wisdom and the tools. I gave birth to my first child in January 2012 but my infertility journey was not over. I would have miscarriage after miscarriage for five years until I delivered another child in August 2018. Infertility has been a humbling experience. Some women never overcome the feelings of shame and regret that they couldn’t have children at all or couldn’t have more. It is an emotional scar they carry with them for the rest of their lives. A wound that never truly heals. 

There are three lessons in Hannah’s story. First, God provides comfort and peace, not just answers to prayers. According to 1 Samuel 1:18, as she left the temple that day, her face was no longer downcast. She felt peace and comfort that only God can provide. She didn’t know if God would answer her prayer with a child but she felt at peace that God had heard her. Psalm 23:4 says, “You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Second, our children are gifts from God. In 1 Samuel 1:27, Hannah says “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.” She acknowledges that Samuel is the answer to her prayer. But these gifts aren’t ours to keep forever. God asks us to return them to Him as children grow up. They leave home as they pursue the purpose God has called them to do. As Hannah continues in 1 Samuel 1:28, “So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” Lastly, God is concerned for the oppressed and the afflicted. Derived from Isaiah 61:3, the song Beauty for Ashes by Crystal Lewis portrays God’s caring beautifully. The chorus states, “He gives beauty for ashes/Strength for fear/Gladness for mourning/Peace for despair.” God cares for each one of us. 

In conclusion, Hannah represents the character of an earnest petitioner and grateful recipient of divine intervention. She was bullied by another woman. Her husband tried, and failed, to comfort her. She turned to the one she knew who could help. Her prayer has been an inspiration for many women who have suffered infertility and child loss. Hannah was also a woman who kept her vow. She vowed that she would give her child to God, if she were to have a child. She could have easily said, “No. I’m not doing that.” But she didn’t. She knew that Samuel was given to her by God and to God he would be given back. Her story is also another example of God’s caring and concern to those who suffer. All we need to do is to come to him, pour out our hearts just as Hannah did. He listens and he answers. 

If you or a woman you know is suffering from infertility, I highly recommend Jennifer Saake’s book Hannah’s Hope: Seeking God’s Heart in the Midst of Infertility, Miscarriage, and Adoption Loss. It is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

Proverbs 31:10-31 The Wife of Noble Character: a model to inspire to

Proverbs has a lot to say about women. It is often said that the Bible portrays women, the ideal woman, as a servant. It just isn’t so. The book ends with a picture of a woman with strong character, great wisdom, many skills and great compassion. Proverb 31:10-31 shows that the ideal woman is an excellent wife and mother and so much more. As you read the verse, you will realize that her appearance is never mentioned. She is not described as thin, fat, tall, short, beautiful or average. Because her physical appearance doesn’t matter, regardless of what society says, which is why the section is often titled “The Wife of Noble Character.” So, I looked through the Bible to find examples of women who, in part, fit these characteristics.

The ideal woman is valuable (verse 10) and trustworthy (verse 11). She brings her family good, not harm, for all her days (verse 12). She’s industrious and she works with eager hands (verse 13). She’s a business woman who imports products for her family’s meals (verse 14). She’s diligent as she gets up early and provides food for her family and others (verse 15). She’s entrepreneurial as she “considers a field and buys it” and “out of her earnings she plants a vineyard” (verse 16). She is wise with money and only purchases quality goods. As I read these verses, I was reminded of Lydia in Acts 16:14-15. She was a businesswoman opened her home to Paul as he began his ministry. Another woman is Priscilla (Acts 18), along with her husband, Aquila, worked as a successful tentmaker and helped Paul’s ministry. Priscilla is an example of a wife who works as a partner with her husband and not as a servant for him.

The ideal woman works hard and strong at her tasks (verse 17). She is attentive to her business (verse 18) and she is a hard worker (verse 19). She is compassionate as she “opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy” (verse 20). She is confident (verse 21) and elegant (verse 22). She is admirable and her husband is admired in part because of her (verse 23). Ruth wasn’t afraid of hard work. She married one of Naomi’s sons and when he died, she decided to remain with Naomi and return with her to her home in Bethlehem (Ruth 1:4-19). As a widow, she would have been poverty striven, taken advantaged of or ignored. She gave up the possibility of security of another husband in her home of Moab, to take care of Naomi. She went to the fields during harvest and gathered grain left behind by the harvesters (Ruth 2:7). It was there she caught the eye of Boaz, who owned the field where she was gathering grain (Ruth 2:3). She later married Boaz (Ruth 4:13) and is know her for love of her mother-in-law, Naomi and her kindness to others.

The ideal woman is a capitalist as she “makes linen garments and sells them,” supplying “merchants with sashes” (verse 24). She is dignified (verse 25). She is wise and gives faithful instruction (verse 26). She is watchful (verse 27). She is honored by her family (verse 28) as she surpasses many of the other noble women (verse 29). She fears the Lord (verse 30) and acclaimed (verse 31). One woman I see in these verses is Hannah in 1 Samuel 1-11. She was fervent in worship and effective in prayer as she turned to the Lord with her troubles. 1 Samuel 1:10 says that “in bitterness of soul, Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord.” She brought her problem to God with honesty and devotion. Another woman I see in these verses is Abigail in 1 Samuel 25:14-28 when she was wise enough to know that her husband, Nabal, had greatly insulted the new king and set out to correct the situation. She gathered food and wine for King David and his men and sought forgiveness for her husband’s rudeness. Because of her wisdom, Abigail saved many men’s lives and promoted peace.

In conclusion, the Wife of Noble Character isn’t a model to imitate but an inspiration to be all you can be, to learn from her perseverance, integrity, and resourcefulness. The Book of Proverbs begins with the command to fear the Lord. Proverbs 1:7 says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” It ends with the picture of a woman who fills this command. Proverbs 31:30 says “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” When you read this verse, remember it is not about being perfect. While many of the women I mentioned did not fit every verse, they were examples of women who did their best. It is about living life with purpose, diligence, and caring for your loved ones the best way you know how with the Lord’s guidance and direction.