Slowly, slowly life crashed down on Hannah. Year after year she longed for a child, but God closed her womb. Her default mode in the face of disappointment was to continue her practice of corporate worship and prayer…
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How many of us make desperate promises in an attempt to influence God to give us what we want, especially when life doesn’t go as we planned? Then, when it appears God “came through”, we quickly forget our words or…
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Catch the words of conflict in Today’s Treasure: her rival, provoke, grievously irritated, so it went on year after year, she used to provoke her. Hannah’s response to Peninnah’s taunting was to weep
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The morning after Hannah’s spiritual experience, her family worships one more time before returning home. Hannah’s facial expression indicated something had shifted in her soul. I wonder how long it took for Peninnah to realize she no longer had power over Hannah. Soon Hannah learns she is pregnant…
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Do you ever wonder what Elkanah thought about his wife’s vow to give their firstborn son to God? It’s likely she told him about her encounter with Eli and how she not only pleaded with God to give her a son but also…
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Hannah’s story teaches us so much about being a life-giver rather than a life-taker. Remember how distraught Hannah was during the family dinner? Her agony…
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Where are you on your pilgrimage? Are you taking time to “taste and see that the Lord is good?” Are you intentionally building systems into your life that will act as your default system if life comes crashing down? Or are you…
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Hannah’s countenance changed through her lament. God moved in her pain and turned her heart toward His presence and grace. Hannah left this intimate time with her God, refueled and energized to face Peninnah and another year of waiting on Him…
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When Peninnah takes great delight in reminding Hannah God has forgotten to fill her womb with life, I imagine Hannah praying words like these in Today’s Treasure…
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As soon as their family meal ended, Hannah found a private corner of the temple where the desire of her heart drove her to the arms of God. Here she freely laments and pleads with God, not knowing there was a witness to her unbridled emotions…
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Year after year Hannah traveled to Shiloh with her family to praise and worship God for all His blessings. No doubt Peninnah’s torment began during the first mile of their trip. Hannah did not let…
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Every year, Elkanah took his family to worship and sacrifice at Shiloh out of obedience to God’s call to go to the tabernacle for annual worship…
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Two wives, one husband. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children because the Lord closed Hannah’s womb. Hannah’s rival provoked her grievously year after year. These three statements could be the meat of a writing assignment for a wannabe fiction writer. But this story is real…
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Every time I study Hannah’s life or read her story, my stomach clenches a little. For many years Hannah lived with not only a broken heart but also a sister-wife who delighted in poking a stick into the wounds…
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Early in this series, I suggested when we are on an unfamiliar pathway, we need guides further along in life’s journey who share their experiences as a means of helping us avoid unnecessary potholes…
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We meet Anna when she is at least eighty-four years old, some think she is 105! Little did she know when her husband died and left her as a young widow, her perseverance as a woman of God, who chose to live life as a servant in God’s house, would lead her to not only observe but be a crucial part of one of the most profound moments in Jewish history…
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For over eight decades Anna persevered in her pursuit of intimacy with her God and sacrificial service that displayed her complete reliance on God’s love and character. On this particular day, as was her habit, Anna was in the Temple, praying, fasting, and serving…
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In keeping with the Law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought their little baby boy to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Like Anna, Simeon was…
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God created us to need one another. That is certainly clear way back in Genesis 2:18 when God declared that Adam should not be alone. God made a helper fit for Adam. This was not an “oops” moment in creation. God did not suddenly realize that He had made companions…
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Anna’s name means grace, favor and beautiful. In Luke’s brief description of this elderly widow, we recognize a woman who reflects all of the characteristics of her name. Her husband’s death takes her to a crossroads in her pilgrimage…
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