Hannah - A Character study

1 Samuel starts with the story of Hannah. Her husband Elkanah had another wife called Peninnah. For some reason, Elkanah loved Hannah more than Peninnah though Hannah was barren and Peninnah had children. This clearly shows that love need not be based on our posessions. I am amazed to think that God too loves us even if we are "useless" and have "nothing".

Verse 5 "But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb."

Why was Hannah barren?. It was because Lord had shut her womb,and it is God who gave her favor in her husband's eyes. Peninnah started teasing Hannah since she was barren. Let us get a feel of that from the verse below.

"Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat"(Verse 7)

If we were in Hannah's place, what we would have done?. Probably we would have given a mouthful back, or used the influence with Elkanah to throw the rival. But Hannah did not do any of these. She was a Godly woman and had such wonderful qualities. She knew that it is better to go to the Lord than to retaliate. All she wanted was a child and she knew that the enemy would shut up once she gets a child.

She went to the presence of God and poured her heart. Do we do this when we are in a need?. We must learn from Hannah here. Nobody could help us in our trying circumstances other than God. Verse 10 says "In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly."

Even while praying, she had to face some taunts. This time from a very old leader of the church, Eli. Mistaking her to be drunk, he shouted at her. Hannah's response here too was a Godly one. Even during her weak phase, she didnt lose her composure. On, what a lesson?.

Once she had poured her heart out to God, her face changed and the downcast look had gone. Those who look upon God will never be let down. God answered Hannah's prayer and she gave birth to Samuel, who would go on to become one of the greatest prophets of God and who anointed King David.

These are the lessons that we learn from Hannah

1. She was pious and simple
2. She was polite
3. She was a woman of faith and prayer
4. She was truthful and loyal to God (as she had vowed, she gave Samuel to the service of the Lord)
5. She was a dutiful woman

Let us learn these things from this wonderful woman.