|
Sermon
for 23 Pentecost Yr B, 16/11/2003 |
Based
on 1 Sam 1:1-20 |
|
Grace
Lutheran Church, Medicine Hat, AB |
By
Pastor Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson |
Someone once observed: “When God wants to change things, a baby
is born; babies are God’s earthquakes.” One apt sermon title for today, based
on our passage from 1 Samuel is, to edit Shakespeare: “To be a mother or not to
be a mother, that is the question.”
It certainly is not easy to be a mother and raise children today. A mother was
talking to an old college friend and said, “I remember before I was married
that I had three theories about raising children. Now I have three children and
no theories!” J
In today’s first lesson, we are told of the story of Hannah’s
difficult journey towards becoming a mother of her son Samuel. This is a most
engaging story, with much wisdom and inspiration packed into it. First of all,
we learn that Hannah is not a very “happy camper.” She is, by every definition
of that day, a second fiddle, second best. At least that’s how she feels. She
is the second wife of her husband Elkanah. At that time in Israel’s history,
men were permitted to have more than one wife. Right from get go, we are told
of the tension between Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah was blessed with children
and Hannah was not. In a society where children were regarded as a blessing, Hannah’s
infertility was a big problem. Peninnah makes matters worse by rubbing it
in, and taunting Hannah to no end every time the family made their yearly trip
to the temple at Shiloh to offer their sacrifice to the LORD. On one particular
year, Peninnah’s taunting really upset Hannah. Elkanah, feeling caught between
the conflict of his two wives, tries to express his love to Hannah by offering
her a double portion of a meat meal they ate after the sacrifice at the temple.
Then, he tries to console her by saying: “Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
But such words were of little comfort to Hannah. She was still barren and
therefore felt the pain and sorrow of not being blessed by God with a child.
Even in our day and age,
infertility is still a problem for many couples. Some of them would want
nothing more in life than to have a child, but they are unable to conceive.
Then, when they’ve nearly given up all hope, they might decide to adopt a
child, only to discover that they are suddenly able to give birth to their own
child. Whether couples are fertile or infertile, we as Christians are called to
provide love, care and acceptance to people. The story of Hannah’s infertility
reminds us also of at least two other biblical women, Sarah the mother of
Isaac, and Elizabeth the mother of John the baptizer. In both cases they too,
like Hannah struggled with their infertility. In all three of these cases, the
LORD chose to work a miracle and reverse their infertility to give them a
child. In all three cases, the LORD chose Isaac, Samuel and John to accomplish
his special purposes.
Coming back now to the story of Samuel’s birth, Hannah in her
upset and near desperate state goes alone into the Shiloh temple and pours out
her soul to the LORD in prayer. The high priest, Eli, observes her and at first
misunderstands her completely, by supposing that she was drunk. Hannah was not
drunk at all. In fact, in her pain and desperation, she makes a vow to the
LORD. She vows that if the LORD favours her by allowing her to give birth to a
son; then she will give him back to the LORD as a nazirite all of his life. A
nazirite was someone who vowed not to drink wine or other intoxicants, not to
cut their hair, and not to touch the body of a dead person.
In any case, after Hannah tells Eli that she was not drunk but
praying to the LORD, Eli then realises that here is a very faithful woman and
so he says to Hannah: “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you
have made to him.” And Hannah does just
that, leaving the temple sanctuary as a new woman, in an entirely different
state than when she had entered. Now Hannah felt and trusted that her prayer
was in the process of being answered. So, she went back to her husband, to eat
and drink a meal in joy together with him. When they went back home to Ramah,
Hannah was, in due time, able to conceive and give birth to a son and she named
him Samuel.
This prayer of Hannah tells us a lot about her faithfulness.
First of all, we learn that the LORD honours and answers the prayers of his
faithful people. And it is through the humble prayers of his people that
the LORD is moved to work miracles and bless his people. So we too, like
Hannah, need to remember to pray, trusting in the LORD like she did; that the
LORD will answer our prayers in wonderful ways. The LORD is able to do
marvellous things for us through prayer. So, brothers and sisters, keep
praying like Hannah, asking the LORD that he will continue to
bless us as a congregation and he will, I am certain of that!
Secondly, we notice in the vow of Hannah that she speaks not
one single word of revenge against her rival, Peninnah. Even though
Peninnah treats Hannah very shoddily, and constantly taunts her about her
infertility; Hannah does not pray for anything hurtful or negative towards
Peninnah. We learn that Hannah was “provoked severely” and was “irritated” by
Peninnah, but nowhere do we learn of any revengeful words or actions against
Peninnah on the part of Hannah. In one sense, this teaches us again the golden
rule, to do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. Yes, people
may irritate us to no end; and we may not like what they say or do towards us.
But Hannah is a model for us of the golden rule; of not responding to her rival
with similar, hurtful words and actions. Instead of taking revenge, we like
Hannah, need to turn over our hurts and pains to the LORD in prayer and ask him
to heal and help us. We, like Hannah, will receive what we need to help us
in such times of need.
Thirdly, we learn from this story of Hannah giving birth to
Samuel that she remained a faithful woman and servant of the LORD. Often
when people are in trouble, they will bargain with the LORD and promise their
faithfulness, only to abandon the LORD again once their lot in life has
improved again for them. Not so for Hannah. Hannah kept her word. She
gave her son Samuel back to the LORD after the LORD had given him to her, as
she had promised. Oh how difficult that must have been for Hannah to give up
her son, probably at the tender age of three, after she had weaned him! But, we
do learn that she still faithfully travelled to Shiloh every year to visit the
temple, make the sacrifices, and spend some time with her son, bringing with
her a new robe for him each year. This generous, sacrificial giving of Hannah
reminds us of the supreme generosity and sacrifice of God himself through the
suffering and death of Jesus.
In Hannah’s faithfulness, love
and generosity towards the LORD, we learn that the LORD blessed her son Samuel.
He was to play an important role in Israel as a faithful prophet, priest and
Israel’s last judge. Hannah, we also learn in I Samuel 2:18-21, that the LORD
blessed her and gave her three more sons and two daughters. So she too was
blessed of God and carried on the role of a faithful Israelite woman. May our
LORD also help us to be faithful, like Hannah was, and bless us, like Hannah
and her son, Samuel. Amen.