Favor

23. April 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Let’s continue our lesson. Our text for today is: 

I Samuel 1:4 “And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy  portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.” 

Yesterday, I mentioned to you that we had a problem in the text.  Clearly you can see that the text says: “the Lord had shut her up her womb” which means that she was barren.  This is problematic for several reasons.  In the mind of the Israelites barrenness was viewed as punishment from God.   One of the promises from God when the children of Israel went into the promise land was that there would be no barrenness named among them.    Look at the following text.   Deuteronomy 7:12 “Wherefore it shall come to pass, if  ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: 13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. 

I can only imagine the emotional pain that Hannah suffered on a daily basis knowing that the community in which she lived believed that for some reason God had “cursed” her or was not pleased with her thereby punishing her with barreness. In the text, you see that Elkanah had another wife by the name of Peninnah which was able to bear him children.  Some scholars argue that perhaps Elkanah took on this second wife because of the barrenness of Hannah so that he would have an heir.    It is clear that Elkanah loved Hannah, for the text says that he gave her a “worthy” portion when it came to the sacrifice.  The text also teaches us that he did this because of his love for her. 

What’s fascinating about this story is that Hannah’s name means grace or favor.  In the Israelite mind, a name was important.  It was well thought out and God was sought as to the naming of a child because they believed that a child’s name would play a major part in their destiny or what they would become in life.     Hannah’s name means favor but everything that is happening to her is contradictory to favor.   And the text says that it is GOD that did this to her.   WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    What does that mean?  

Have you ever felt that you were destined for something great, but you just can’t seem to get a breakthrough.  Everything but greatness is happening to you.   Sometimes, we’ve even gone so far as to say, “Did I do something wrong.”  “Is God Punishing Me?”  “Where did I go wrong?”   Have you ever just felt like you just can’t get it together and you don’t know what to do to get you out of this place.   Everyone seems to be prospering around you, but you just feel stuck.   

Tune in tomorrow, as this story takes an interesting turn.   THIS STORY IS SOOOOOOOOOOO ENCOURAGING!!!!!!!   I hope you’ll stay with me to the end, you’ll be so encouraged.      God Bless. 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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