On Fridays I link up with Gypsy Mama. She gives us a word and we just write without worrying if it’s just right or not. Won’t you join us? The word for today is TRUST.
Hannah trusted God. You can find the story of Hannah and Eli and Samuel in 1 Samuel, chapters 1-3. Hannah's heart was grieved because she did not have a child. She took her brokenness to the Lord and wept before him. And then she trusted Him. She left in peace, despite the initial mockery of Eli, the priest. TRUST.
But the trust gets deeper, deeper than I have gone yet. God does give Hannah a child, a boy, named Samuel. And when Hannah weans Samuel she give him to the Lord. Literally she take Samuel to Eli the priest and leaves him with Eli in the temple of the Lord to grow up. She visits him at least once a year. Can you imagine? TRUST.
Even if you can imagine giving up daily interaction with your child in such a circumstance, have you ever thought about the character of Eli? He had two grown sons, wicked men who committed public sins of greed and sexual immortality. My quick-to-judge heart always assumes that men like Eli's sons had parents who didn't do their job. This isn't necessarily true. But would you want to leave your child with Eli, knowing what his grown sons were like? TRUST.
Hannah trusted. God was faithful. He gave her more sons. Scripture doesn't say Samuel grew up with Eli. It says he grew up before the Lord, growing in favor before both the Lord and men. He grew before the Lord.
No matter what circumstances you are in, let your children grow before the Lord.
Lord, help me to trust.
