Unchained Melodye

Hannah did not know her place in the history of Israel. She couldn’t know (what we know)!

I often don’t understand the why’s behind God’s purposes because I can’t fully see His plans when I am in the midst of my troubles. But I know this: God has a good plan. He did then, and He does now. In every situation His timing is perfect. Samuel needed to be born at a crucial time in history. Not sooner. Not later. Hannah needed to be faithful to her promise to God to let her son go. God’s purposes were far greater than she could have dared to dream. Her plea for a baby seemed like a small request. Little did she know what God had in store for that baby and how He would use her great faith and obedience.

So Hannah just kept believing God while she waited for the silence to broken.
And oh, how God spoke!!

Now Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. YEAR AFTER YEAR this man would go up from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh…
Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But he would give a double portion to Hannah, because he especially loved her.

NOW THE LORD had not enabled her to have children.

On one occasion in Shiloh, after they had finished eating and drinking, Hannah got up. (Now at the time Eli the priest was sitting in his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple.) She was very upset as she prayed to the Lord, and she was weeping uncontrollably. She made a vow saying, “O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the suffering of your female servant, remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut.”

Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of Him.”

After some time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, thinking, “I asked the LORD for him.”
She said, “I prayed for this boy, and the LORD has given me the request that I asked of him. Now I dedicate him to the LORD. … From this time on he is dedicated to the LORD.” Then they worshiped the LORD there.

Hannah prayed and said,

“No one is holy like the LORD! There is no one other than You! There is no rock like our God! The LORD is a God who knows; He evaluates what people do.
He LIFTS the weak from the dust;
Even the barren woman gives birth to seven, but the one with many children withers away;
He RAISES the poor from the ash heap to SEAT THEM with princes and to BESTOW on them an HONORED position.

Then Elkanah went back home to Ramah. But the boy was serving the LORD under the supervision of Eli the priest.
Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD. The boy was dressed in a linen ephod. His mother used to make him a small robe and bring it up to him at regular intervals when she would go up with her husband to make the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife saying, “May the LORD raise up for you descendants from this woman to replace the one that she dedicated to the LORD.” Then they would go to their home.

So the LORD graciously attended to Hannah, and she was able to conceive and gave birth to three sons and two daughters.

The boy Samuel grew up at the Lord’s sanctuary.

** Word from the Lord was RARE in those days;
revelatory visions were INFREQUENT. **

The LORD called to Samuel, and he replied, “Here I am!” Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.”

So he went back and lay down. The LORD again called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I didn’t call you, my son. Go back and lie down.”

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD;
the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

Then the LORD called Samuel a third time. So he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me!” Eli then realized that it was the LORD who was calling the boy. So Eli said to Samuel, “Go back and lie down. When He calls you, say, “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” So Samuel went back and lay down in his place. Then the LORD came and stood nearby, calling as he had previously done, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “Speak, for your servant is listening!”

So Samuel told Eli everything. He did not hold back anything from him. Eli said, “The LORD will do what He pleases.” Samuel continued to grow, and the LORD was with him. None of his prophecies fell to the ground unfulfilled.

Then the LORD again appeared in Shiloh, for it was in Shiloh that the LORD had revealed Himself to Samuel through the word of the Lord.

1 Samuel 1-3

The Lord appeared again and revealed Himself!
The God I’ve come to know will not allow our pain and brokenness to have the final word. He will always give more grace and will bless us abundantly, even in our most difficult seasons. The blessings have often looked different than I thought they would, or even prayed they would. But what I’ve experienced is a greater depth of faith and more perseverance. God has consistently poured out His Spirit in my life through providing His mercy and grace in the times of my most profound need.

Your vow’s a covenant unbroken.
You made it known through history.
Your love will never be unfaithful!
I have no reason to doubt You –
who You’ve been, You’ll always be.
And though the future’s still unfolding,
with everything I’ve seen, how could I not believe?
You are a promise keeper.
Your word will never fail.
My heart can trust You, Jesus.
I won’t be overwhelmed!
My eyes are gonna see miracles and victories.

You are a promise keeper, and Your word will never fail!