Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah arose.

( 1Samuel 1:9)

The arising of Hannah at Shiloh is one of the most pivotal moments in the history of both Israel and of Christianity; for this is the spiritual moment of decision in the mind of a young woman that will change history.

Hannah had been grieving for not having a child, though she was married to an attentive husband. Hannah stood up when she had come to a resolution that she would make a direct appeal to God, with a bargain, that if He enabled her to conceive a son, she would give the son back to God. She had come to believe that God Himself might want a son as much as she did, and so accept her request. When she arose, it was to go to the tabernacle and to present her petition at the altar. She spoke her bargain to the Lord.

Hannah prayed “in her heart”while her lips shaped the words. At this time, no one in Israel had the faith of this young woman, whose faith was shaped by her need. Even Eli, the high priest, failed to recognize a real prayer when he witnessed her speaking with God. When Hannah arose from her prayer, she had ceased grieving and no longer wept in the presence of her rival wife, for Hannah was the second wife of her husband.

God answered Hannah’s prayer, and she gave birth to the little boy who became a great prophet in Israel. One more time Hannah rose up, to take her little boy back to the tabernacle to Eli. There without tears she left him, probably two, three, possibly four years old, to be brought up by Eli the priest. Only once a year Hannah could visit him, bringing him a new robe every year. Hannah never tried to get out of her bargain with God, and God blessed her with three more sons, and two daughters. (1 Samuel 1:21)

Even so, Hannah never forgot her firstborn. When Samuel grew up, he lived in Ramah, the home town of his parents.

Hundreds of years after Hannah arose, another young Hebrew woman arose, and traveled to Bethlehem, where she, too had a baby after a conversation with the Lord, this time with His angel. Mary said, My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. ( Luke 1:40) Hannah had said, My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted up. (1Samuel 2: 1) Both women arose toward their God, and our God.

Love in Him,

Prue