Hannah: "My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God." (1 Samuel 2:1-2)My heart never ceases to wonder at Hannah's ability to praise God as she is delivering her preschool son over to Eli and his wicked sons to look after, herself traveling back home without him. As for me, I can hardly say goodbye to my 20-somethings when they leave home. And could I send my five-year old to school? Not on your life. Yet Hannah hands over her probably three-year old to an undisciplined priest and his evil sons. And then sings an astonishing song of exaltation to God.
This would be me: "If you don't really need my little Samuel just yet, Lord, speak now and I'll take him home." This would move quickly to: "Please, please, please, don't make me leave him here!"
Not Hannah. She thanks God for her son, and rejoices in God's greatness. Here is a woman who knows what it means that children are a gift from the Lord (Psalm 127), who understands that our children are our stewardship, not our possessions, who really gets the truth that life is not about her but about the Creator God's glory.
Here is a woman who knows God, and has chosen, at profound cost to herself, to honor Him above all else. Oh, that that woman would be me.
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