This is a question often asked of pastors by followers of The Shepherd.
‘I am just an ordinary follower of Jesus; how can I possibly help to extend the Kingdom of God, as you keep suggesting?’
This is a good question, and one of the answers is to look at little known people in the Bible, who did amazing things for God.
The third person to look at is Hannah, the mother of Samuel, whose story can be found in the book of 1 Samuel.
10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 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.” ……
19 Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20 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.” ……
24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 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. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 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.
Hannah is probably one of the most inspiring women you will find recorded in the Bible. Hannah is recognized for her sorrow. Although she was barren, Hannah wanted a child so badly that she prayed to God that she would be granted a son. In return, if God would answer her prayer and allow her to conceive a son, Hannah promised to dedicate his life to the service of God.
God’s answer to Hannah’s prayer, was that she bore a son, she named him Samuel, and then fulfilled her promise to God.
Hannah dedicated the infant Samuel to be raised in the Temple to serve the living God ‘all the days of his life’. Added to this, Hannah remained connected to Samuel throughout his life, providing him with motherly wisdom. Hannah’s son grew up to be one of the most influential and Godly people we can read about today, in the Bible.
The context of this story is that it plays out somewhere around 1170 – 1180 BC. in the hill country North and slightly East of Jerusalem.
Hannah was one of two wives of a man named Elkanah, who lived in this area near Shiloh. Elkanah’s other wife named Peninnah, had children, but Hannah had no child. Because of this, she was very unhappy. Hannah desperately desired a child, but she was unable to conceive. To make matters worse, Peninnah taunted Hannah concerning her barrenness. Although Elkanah loved Hannah and was exceedingly kind to her, Peninnah’s unkindness on top of Hannah’s natural grief, was too much for Hannah to bear.
Hannah’s story teaches us many important lessons for life today. First, Hannah turned to God in prayer during her time of need. Second, she praised and thanked God when to her mind He did not answer her prayer. Finally, this brave woman kept her commitment to the Lord, even though to do so must have been exceedingly difficult.
One of the most inspiring things about Hannah, is that she never gave up hope that God would hear her prayer. What a blessing was to come, not only did He hear, but God blessed Hannah beyond what she had asked for. In the end, Hannah the mother of Samuel was blessed with three other sons and two daughters.
Hanna’s attitude of prayer and dependence on the Lord is a magnificent example for us today.
Think what may have happened to God’s people, if Hannah had just accepted her situation, and not called out to the living God?
Following this story, what need do you see today, that through prayer, could impact the future for The Shepherd and His Kingdom?
The next little-known person in the Bible we will look at, is Rahab the prostitute, whose story can be found in the book of Joshua, chapter 2.
The Shepherd Speaks 