RAMBLINGS -- POURING OUT OUR SOULS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – POURING OUT OUR SOULS TO GOD

"And it happened, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli watched her (that is, Hannah's) mouth.  Now Hannah spoke in her heart;  only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.  So Eli said to her, 'How long will you be drunk?  Put your wine away from you!'  But Hannah answered and said, 'No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.  Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.' "  (I Samuel 1:12-16)

Have you ever been in Hannah's shoes?  You hurt so badly on the inside because of the sorrow and grief that you were going through.  You did not speak openly about it, but poured out your heart before the Lord with tears of grief.  Other people misunderstood your sorrow and were quick to criticize.  

Hannah had reason to be in great sadness.  First, she was barren.  Childlessness  in the Jewish culture was frowned upon as a bad thing.   To make matters worse, her husband, Elkanah, had another wife whose name was Penniah.  Penniah was blessed with children – both sons and daughters, while Hanna remained childless.  Penniah provoked Hannah because of her barrenness and made life miserable.  This caused Hannah great distress.

Elkanah recognized this rivalry, and because he loved Hannah more than  Penniah, he gave her a double portion of blessing.  But that did not assuage the sorrow in Hanna's heart.  She was still in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish (vs. 19).  God heard her prayers and the anguish of her heart as she poured out her soul before the LORD.  It took some time for the answer to come (at least 9 months) and she eventually bore more children (2:21).

It may seem that God does not hear our prayers and we are misunderstood as we pour out our soul to Him our sorrow, our bitterness, our grief, and our anguish.  But He does hear and will answer in His good time.   

Love,  Dad