Feb
8
Written by:
Route 365
2/8/2010 5:00 AM
written by Doug Jackson
Biography
Greetings, my name is Doug Jackson and I will be on the 365 journey with you this week. My wife Lin and I are long-term members of Browncroft and have served in a number of roles. As a professor of Old Testament Studies, the 365 readings this year give me an opportunity to visit with ‘old friends’ from the life of Israel. There are so many rich everyday encounters with the living God in these pages that I always learn something new when I spend time with these familiar stories.
Reflection
Good stories often have a plot line that includes the triumph of the underdog over great adversity, despite all the odds and contrary forces. The story often unfolds so that a critical point is reached in the drama where all hope is lost, but at the last minute there is a sudden intervention by the forces for good and a happy ending is achieved. The first part of 1 Samuel chapter 1 included a bit of that kind of drama and it certainly appears that God’s intervention on Hannah’s behalf has turned the darkness of domestic crisis into a new day of blessing and opportunity for her. Today’s reading adds a bit of tension to that seemingly happy ending. The first part of the story established a clear pattern of faithful attendance and sincere worship at Shiloh on behalf of Elkanah and his family. That place was the scene of Hannah’s most difficult days and here passionate petitioning of God for an answer to her deepening crisis. God did answer and a precious son was born. Now it was time to return to the place of worship once again. What a golden opportunity to pour out praise and thanks to God, but this time Hannah did not go along with the other family members. It appears that Hannah may be on the brink of doing what we so often do. We pray to God for something and by his grace we finally receive it, only to forget about him and grasp on to what was given, as if the object of our desires was something we had a right to hold and control according to our own will. Could that be the case here?
The words of Elkanah on this occasion hardly seem reassuring at first glance: “Do what seems best to you.” That could certainly be an echo of the refrain heard so often in Judges, that “everybody did what seemed right in their own eyes.” That indeed was the sad refrain of a people that had lost their way and turned their backs on God. We should not doubt Hannah however. She possesses a faith forged in the furnace of tough experiences and has learned to put her trust in God in ways that set her apart. She is clearly committed to following through on her commitment to God regarding Samuel. She was not going to show up at Shiloh, however, with her job half done. She was committed to loving and nurturing Samuel to the point where he could confidently be presented to Eli at the Tabernacle, ready to take his first steps in God’s service. My own feeling is that she wanted to present her very best to God at the proper time. A job half done on her part would not be an adequate response to the greatness of his gift. The story of her eventual appearance at Shiloh with the boy and generous offerings would seem to confirm that thought.
What a great example for us. I am encouraged today to acknowledge the gracious gifts of God in my life and to be sure that I have not forgotten them as a source of deeper relationship with my heavenly Father, who is the source of all I have.
Tags: