September 15, 2023
Author: Pastor David Miner
September 15, 2023
Reading: 1 Samuel 1 Optional Reading: Samuel 2 - 4
“11And 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.”
(1 Samuel 1:11 NIV)
To get what you want, what would you be willing to give up? One summer when we first moved to Virginia, my son was willing to use a chain saw to cut fireplace pieces of wood for the fireplace from the trees taken down to build our home. It depends on how much you want it. Many of us would sacrifice something to get what we wanted.
In this story in the Bible, we see Hannah willing to give up her son to God if only God would give her a son. She had been unable to have children for years. It wore her down. But in the end, she prayed a prayer of relinquishment. What is that? It is when you bow your head before God and say something like, “Lord, I cannot make this happen. But you can. I am willing to humble myself before you and I offer to tithe for the rest of my life if you will give it to me.”
People offer God different things: to pray every day. Go to church every week. Hannah was willing to give God her first born son. She was not making a deal with God as much as humbling herself. It must have been a hard decision. But the next year God answered: she gave birth to a son. And when the time came, she gave him back to God.
Jesus, let me always be willing to give up to you what you desire. Amen.
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