Wednesday, November 3, 2010

The Vow

1 Samuel 1:9-20

Hannah on Elkanah’ s rebuke
1.       The truth brought her to her senses and caused her to pray.  When one is in pain, and is rebuked for lingering on it, is not an easy thing to bear. It will cause you to accuse that person as insensitive and unloving. But Hannah resorted to prayer. How admirable!
2.       Truth will set a person free. However painful, it is better than any tap on the shoulder. Only truth will help a person. How lovingly we say it will make a difference though.

Hannah on Eli’s rebuke
1.       An untruthful remark to an already bitter soul is torture!  We should learn from Eli’s poor discernment to not outrightly judge a person based on a single encounter. Amazingly, Hannah was able to respectfully correct his accusation. How hard is that!
2.       Truth turned judgment to blessing. Eli believed her and with her. Maybe this too encouraged her that she went back to her family as a changed woman.  She did not receive a promise or anything, she just prayed in hope, and chose to leave the result to God.

 Application:
1.       God’s truth, however painfully taken on the onset, will ultimately bring healing to anyone.
2.       Prayer changes a person from the inside out.
3.       Truth hurts. An untrue statement hurts even more. Only love can keep one from breaking.

Hannah’s Prayer
1.       Bitterness (severe pain), misery (suffering as a result of affliction), deeply troubled (unrest), great anguish (physical & mental agony), and grief (intense sorrow).  Such draining words! But instead of burying herself to self pity, she stood up and chose to pour it all to God Almighty – the Most Powerful One. We cannot control the circumstances, but we should not let it control us.
2.       She wept much, kept praying,  prayed in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard.  It’s a conscious, continuous cry for a son.  No many, not a daughter, but specifically a son.
3.       She asked God to look upon her, remember her, and not forget her.  It was a humble plea for grace.
4.       She vowed to make his son a Nazirite. A vow to honor God for answering her prayers.

 Application:
1.       Pain should move us closer to God.  To cry for help and humbly plead, not complain nor demand.
2.       We pray and ask God for many things, but do we intend to honor Him with His gifts? Do we promise stewardship and give Him all the glory?
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The Vow

1 Samuel 1:9-20

Hannah on Elkanah’ s rebuke
1.       The truth brought her to her senses and caused her to pray.  When one is in pain, and is rebuked for lingering on it, is not an easy thing to bear. It will cause you to accuse that person as insensitive and unloving. But Hannah resorted to prayer. How admirable!
2.       Truth will set a person free. However painful, it is better than any tap on the shoulder. Only truth will help a person. How lovingly we say it will make a difference though.

Hannah on Eli’s rebuke
1.       An untruthful remark to an already bitter soul is torture!  We should learn from Eli’s poor discernment to not outrightly judge a person based on a single encounter. Amazingly, Hannah was able to respectfully correct his accusation. How hard is that!
2.       Truth turned judgment to blessing. Eli believed her and with her. Maybe this too encouraged her that she went back to her family as a changed woman.  She did not receive a promise or anything, she just prayed in hope, and chose to leave the result to God.

 Application:
1.       God’s truth, however painfully taken on the onset, will ultimately bring healing to anyone.
2.       Prayer changes a person from the inside out.
3.       Truth hurts. An untrue statement hurts even more. Only love can keep one from breaking.

Hannah’s Prayer
1.       Bitterness (severe pain), misery (suffering as a result of affliction), deeply troubled (unrest), great anguish (physical & mental agony), and grief (intense sorrow).  Such draining words! But instead of burying herself to self pity, she stood up and chose to pour it all to God Almighty – the Most Powerful One. We cannot control the circumstances, but we should not let it control us.
2.       She wept much, kept praying,  prayed in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard.  It’s a conscious, continuous cry for a son.  No many, not a daughter, but specifically a son.
3.       She asked God to look upon her, remember her, and not forget her.  It was a humble plea for grace.
4.       She vowed to make his son a Nazirite. A vow to honor God for answering her prayers.

 Application:
1.       Pain should move us closer to God.  To cry for help and humbly plead, not complain nor demand.
2.       We pray and ask God for many things, but do we intend to honor Him with His gifts? Do we promise stewardship and give Him all the glory?