1 Samuel 1:18-28 – Keeping promises

Wonderfully, like Hannah and her family, we do have a God who is worthy of our worship. Hence, like them, we must offer our worship as they did. In verse 19 the family made sure they woke up early and worshipped before they left for home. People are usually too busy preparing and getting ready for the activities of daily chores that worship would be the last thing on their minds. Some only worship when they have spare time. But not for this family. They worshipped Him before they set out on the road. This is one discipline we should emulate. The God who calls us to Himself deserves the top priority in our life. What is more wonderful is the truth that our God remembers. He never forgets the prayer we utter before Him. He knows exactly what we need and is ever ready to answer. So, verse 19 says that God remembered Hannah. And Elkanah and Hannah’s intimacy bore fruit and she conceived a son. In due time she gave birth and called his name, Samuel, meaning the Lord had given.

This is a reminder that every child we have is a gift from God. It is, therefore, our responsibility to ensure that they are nurtured and well prepared for life. More importantly, we must keep our vow that was made to the Lord. Elkanah, we are told, took his family for their pilgrimage again to pay his vow. Nowhere were we told that he had made a vow to the Lord, yet we are told that he went on this trip to Shiloh to pay his vow. This is by way of saying that he was a person who kept his word. Like him, if we have made any vow or pledge to the Lord, be sure to honor our word and fulfill our vow.

However, Hannah did not go with Elkanah until the infant Samuel was weaned. This must have been a good two to three years. These are critical years in a child’s life cycle. It is said that the attitude of a child is more or less shaped by the third year of his or her life. Hannah spent the first three years nurturing Samuel, honing his attitude. So Hannah did what was needed. Once the child was weaned, she went back to Shiloh to fulfill her vow to the Lord.  

God is central to the lives of Elkanah and Hannah. And He must be central to the life of a community. This couple learned to place worshipping God as their top priority in life. Like them, we must always make time to worship Him. No matter how tight our schedule for the day may be, we must place worshipping and spending time with God on the top of the list of our daily activities. Then we must remember to fulfill our promise to Him. If God takes time to listen and remember our prayers, nothing should prevent us from fulfilling the promise we made to Him. We must honor our words especially those that we have promised to the Lord.