
The Story 2024
Pressing In
March 10, 2024
Chris Seidman, Lead Minister, The Branch
1 Samuel 1:1-8- (The Story, page 129)
There was a certain man … whose name was Elkanah … . He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord.
Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.
Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.
Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you down-hearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”
1 Samuel 1:8 (NIV)
“Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”
1 Samuel 1:7 (NIV)
This went on year after year.
1 Samuel 1:9-17 (The Story, page 130)
Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house.
In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
“Not so, my Lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”
Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)
Hope deferred makes the heart sick … .
1 Samuel 1:9-10 (The Story, page 130
Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up.
1 Samuel 1:10, 15b, 16b (The Story, page 130)
In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. “I am a woman who is deeply troubled … I was pouring out my soul to the Lord … . I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”
1 Samuel 1:17-18 (The Story, page 130)
Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.”
1 Samuel 1:19-20, 24-28 (The Story, pages 130 and 131)
Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah his and the Lord remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
(vs. 24) After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was … and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh … they brought the boy to Eli, and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child. And the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.
“So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
Samuel is the only person in old testament recognized as prophet, priest, and judge - all three in one.
- 1 Samuel 3:20
- 1 Samuel 7:9
- 1 Samuel 7:6, 15
1 Samuel 12:23 (NIV)
“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you.”
Hebrews 7:25 (NIV)
… he always lives to intercede for them.
Three Takeaways …
- Even when our longings go unfulfilled, God won’t leave us unfilled.
1 Samuel 1:17 (NIV)
“Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
1 Samuel 1:18 (NIV)
Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.
- When dealing with an unfulfilled longing, we must resist the temptation to push off from God, and to instead press in to God – even in our bitterness.
- Will we dedicate what God has graced us with to His service?