-Meditation-
1 Samuel 1:23-27
I advise you to read the whole 1st chapter of 1 Samuel to find where we are in it.
--TheSecretPlace--
V.23-Elkanah told Hannah "Do what seems best to you. Stay here with the child until you weaned him; only may the LORD make good His word."
So Hannah stayed home, and did what seemed best to her.
I kinda wonder if what Hannah saw best to do was what the LORD saw best to do. Hannah said that she would give Samuel to the LORD all of the days of his life, and it takes traditionally 3 years in their culture to wean a child, so depending on how long that took for Hannah, I think it is pretty safe to say that Samuel was about 3 years old when they took him to the temple of the LORD in Shiloh to minister before the LORD their always. Hannah had vowed(v.11) that Samuel would be given to the LORD all the days of his life, one thing to take notice of is that Hannah gave Samuel to the LORD even before he was conceived, and as he was in her womb, and through the 3-year period that he was living in Ramah, Samuel was given to the LORD, he didn't have to be at Shiloh in the temple to be given to the LORD, just as we don't have to live at the house of prayer to be given to the LORD, but another thing to realize is that Hannah had vowed that no razor shall ever be used on his head for his entire life, and long hair was a symbol of dedication to the service of the LORD, and a characteristic of the Nazirite vow, I dont think Samuel was a Nazirite because later on in the Bible it talks about Samuels sons, and Nazirites did not have any sexual relations during their time of consecration, and their probably is more background on that, but I am not going to dig into it at this time.
So Samuel was always given to the LORD, and when Hannah saw that he was ready, as a 3 year old, Samuel was given to the LORD in the house of the LORD, dedicated to the service of the LORD, for ALL of the days of his life!!!
How amazing!! To the natural ear this sounds a little insane, but in God's kingdom, I believe this is seen as a radical lover of God, and the highest position--To be GIVEN to God, and we can ALL, as the children of God be completely, and totally, and utterly GIVEN the LORD! I want to be seen as a radical lover of Jesus, by Jesus, and I believe we are fully capable of it.
It is a hard but worthy thing to be given totally to the LORD.
This reminds me about how the LORD is setting apart His people as a holy bride to be given to Him wholly, and just as Samuel was away from the temple of the LORD for 3 years we are away from our Bridegroom for what only is a few years, waiting, and being prepared to be with Him where He is for the rest of our days into eternity!!!!!!!!! This is the greatest revelation, that Jesus Christ has loved us so much that He would come and die on the cross to reconcile all things to Himself, in order to get His people back to spend eternity with them--WITH US!!! O what LOVE!!
How truly amazing.
V.24-After Hannah weaned Samuel, she brought him, and an offering to the house of the LORD in Shiloh.
The LORD understood Hannah in her seeing the need to do what she thought best, and the LORD didn't disqualify Samuel for the work of the LORD because Hannah did what she thought best, the LORD knew that Samuel was given to Him, He knew Hannah's heart, and He knew all He would do through Samuel, even because of the way Hannah was honoring Him in giving her only son to the LORD all his days, because of the plea, and surrender of Hannah, we have just a good example of what it looks like to be given to the LORD in Samuel's life.
She had in mind all of the days from the time she conceived Samuel to the day she departed with him that she had no right to dismiss her vow to the LORD, she had in mind that Samuel was not her own, but the LORD's because she had given him to the LORD.
We need to realize that when we became Christians, and gave our old lives to Jesus, and received HIS life, we became HIS. We as christians are no longer our own, but we are the LORD's, and we belong to Him. We cannot any longer stick to our own agenda's but must submit to the LORD's, and His is the better way to go, and He is watching over us all the time, we can fully trust Him with our lives.
Do you realize the weight in that? I don't know if I do or not, the LORD is doing great things in each of His people who are willing, and open to what He is wanting to do, and for Him to accomplish in us what He wants which is to be completely, and totally abandoned in love to Him, we must give Him our lives, and our agenda's constantly, and not take it back to do what we want to do, to do what we see spiritual, and pleasing to God to do. This is much more serious than anything we can, and cannot wrap our minds around. We cannot be used by God if we do not have the purity to be surrendered, and given to the LORD our God.
This is something every person must choose to do daily I am not disqualified, and you are not disqualified, we have the choice to choose the way of the LORD in righteousness, and holiness, and abandonment, or we can choose to go our own way, which is worldly, in sin, and compromise in all we do. What shall we choose? I choose God. I invite you to do the same.
V.25-- When they had slaughtered the bull they brought Samuel to Eli, I think Eli was Samuel's spiritual guide, and mentor, and no matter where we are before the LORD whether we are 3 or 25 we need guidence, and we need people in our lives to show us the way, and sometimes that is just going to be the LORD, but sometimes He puts people in our lives to help us, and to teach us, and even to watch over us, and this is the relationship between Samuel, and Eli. I believe we all need people in our lives to help us through life, and the LORD will always provide those people.
I want to encourage you to find leadership, find someone to mentor you who knows the LORD, and follow the way they set before you in the place of prayer.
V.26-27-
26 and she said to him, "As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. 27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.
Hannah identifies herself to Eli beginning with saying "As surely as you live'' which was, and might still be a customary way of emphasizing the truthfulness of one's word's, so Hannah was very serious, and truthful in all that she was saying. That says a lot since she was speaking to Eli, the preist.
We also need to be completely sincer, and truthful in all that we say and do.
She says to him that she was the woman here(at the temple) PRAYING to the LORD.
What a description, this is like 3 years later, and Hannah can only think, and only can describe herself as the woman who prayed here.
She continues to say that she prayed for a child, which was THE DESIRE OF HER HEART, and she ASKED THE LORD it, and then the LORD ANSWERED HER PRAYER in giving her, her hearts desire!!
In the Same way even when it is completely unnecessary the LORD LOVES to give His children good gifts, and He delights to give us-YOU AND ME!! - The desires of our hearts.
What a GREAT GOD!!!!
Praise the LORD.
---Intercession---
Father I just thank you and love you, God I want to thank you for caring about our hearts, and even delighting to answer our prayers. You are SO GOOD! And we want to praise Your Name forever, and ever!! Thank You LORD.
I just pray that You would help us, and grip our hearts to know You more, and to understand Your heart for us. Love You!! In Jesus Name. Amen.
Be blessed.
Kasey
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