Hannah’s Spiritual Gift

Hannah is one of the most gracious of women in biblical history. She may have been barren, but her spirit revealed that God had impacted her life in ways that are beyond description. Her husband said he loved her, but his actions spoke louder than words. Instead of being an example of a man of God, he chose to model selfishness and breaking the Mosaic Law by marrying a second wife from whom he could get children. How unlike Zechariah and Elizabeth who the scriptures note were blameless. When we usurp God’s ways, the end result is never peace and contentment. And so, year after year, the second wife continued to belittle Hannah for her barrenness. But Hannah was filled with the spirit of grace and had a relationship with God by which she could pray to Him. God heard her humble prayer, and in time, He opened her womb. In turn, she brought forth a son named Samuel. When weaned, she left him there to grow into manhood, but each year, she brought him new clothes.

What can we learn from Hannah? Faithfulness to God is rewarded as Hannah had five more children. If only Elkanah had been patient, he would have seen the power of faithfulness to Jehovah and the power of prayer. We never heard of him or the other children from the second wife after Samuel’s birth, teaching us that God is displeased with our earthly ways but is pleased with our faithfulness to Him.