Give it up and be ready to be filled

“But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the LORD had closed her womb. And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb.”

I Samuel 1 : 5-6 (New King James Version)

We read that Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Now Peninnah had sons and daughters but Hannah had no children. And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering he would give a portion to her and to all her children. But to Hannah he would give a double portion !

To Elkanah it did not matter whether Hannah had children or not. He loved her . While Hannah knew this though her heart was still miserable as she focused on what others said. We read in verse 6 that Peninnah would taunt her regarding her bareness. And Hannah would be miserable to the point of weeps and not eating . Storing that grievance up.

We read in verse 8 Elkanah tells her “Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” “

Sometimes , in fact quite a lot of times we tend to be like that. We get grieved over things that really shouldn’t matter. When people ask , “Oh you are still single” , “Oh you have not bought a house yet” , “oh you still have that old bike “ , “oh you still have not gotten promoted”, “Oh you still….”

God is asking us isn’t He much better than ALL of that put together ?

We sing it in our songs , we say it out loud , but there are times when our heart does forget that the love of our Father is much greater than anything that this world has to offer. Do not be grieved.

When we read through the verses till verse 18 , we see Hannah poured out herself before the Lord . She emptied herself out before Him. And we read in verse 18 that she went her way and ate and her face was no longer sad. And it is only after this that we read from verses 19 onwards that she conceived a child !

Sometimes we fill ourselves up with so much of grievance, unforgiveness , bitterness , our plans , our thoughts … that there is no space for anything that God wants to put !. May we empty ourselves out before Him and let Him fill us up. Throw out the garbage and everything foul smelling . And watch Him cleanse us and transform every aspect for His glory and we will be a sweet smelling aroma to Him.

God Bless