1 Samuel 1:1–28
Some gifts are so personal, so painful, and so precious that they could only be given to God. In the opening chapter of 1 Samuel, we meet a woman named Hannah, whose story of sorrow and surrender becomes one of the most unforgettable pictures of faith in all of Scripture. Her childless ache, her tearful prayer, her bold promise, and her unwavering follow-through all confront us with a piercing question: What are you willing to lend God?
1. Her Plight – A Woman in Deep Distress
“But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb.” (1 Samuel 1:5)
Hannah’s story begins in pain. Though she was dearly loved by her husband Elkanah, she lived in the shadow of her rival Peninnah, who bore children and taunted her mercilessly. Scripture makes it clear: the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb. This was not simply biological—this was divine providence. Her sorrow led her year after year to Shiloh, to the house of God, yet her situation did not change—until her spirit did.
In the New Testament, we’re reminded that God often allows suffering not to punish but to produce something greater. Paul wrote, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Hannah’s affliction would birth more than a child—it would birth a prophet who would anoint kings and restore a nation’s spiritual direction.
2. Her Prayer – A Soul Poured Out
“She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.” (1 Samuel 1:10)
Hannah didn’t offer a polished prayer—she poured out her soul. The word used here is rich with emotion. She spoke from the depths of grief, making no attempt to be impressive—just honest. Eli the priest even mistook her silent, fervent prayer for drunkenness. But God heard what man misjudged.
Jesus would later echo the power of private, heartfelt prayer: “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret…” (Matthew 6:6). Real prayer doesn’t require an audience. It requires authenticity. Hannah’s tears, whispered vows, and unfiltered longing became a fragrance before the Lord. Prayer is not a place to perform; it’s a place to pour.
3. Her Promise – A Vow with No Strings
“O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant… I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life.” (1 Samuel 1:11)
Hannah made a vow—but not like we often do. This wasn’t “God, bless me and I’ll follow you.” She said, “If You give me a son, I’ll give him right back.” She didn’t ask so she could keep—she asked so she could give. Her promise included lifelong dedication through a Nazirite vow: her son would never drink wine or cut his hair, a symbol of being set apart entirely for God’s service.
This vow mirrors the heart of Romans 12:1, “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). Hannah’s promise wasn’t just words—it was worship. She was offering her greatest desire to God before she even held it in her hands.
4. Her Performance – She Followed Through
“I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD.” (1 Samuel 1:28)
It’s one thing to make a promise in the heat of prayer—it’s another to follow through when the time comes. But Hannah kept her word. After the child was weaned (likely around age 3 or 4), she brought little Samuel to the temple and left him there. She didn’t back out. She didn’t rationalize. She lent him to the Lord—literally entrusted his entire life to God’s plan.
The Only Way to Keep Them Is to Give Them
“Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord.” (1 Samuel 1:28)
The word “lent” in this verse is translated from the Hebrew word שָׁאַל (sha’al), which means “to ask” or “to request.” The wordplay in this passage is rich: Hannah had asked God for a child, and now she returns what she had asked for. In Hebrew, Samuel’s name—Sh’mu’el—is believed to mean “God has heard” or “asked of God.” Hannah declares, in effect, “Because I asked for him, I now give him back.”
This is the essence of godly parenting: Every child is a sacred trust, not a permanent possession. As Psalm 127:3 reminds us, “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” Children are God’s gift—with one condition: give them back to Him.
Hannah could only truly keep Samuel by surrendering him. And so it is with us. The only way to keep what God gives is to give it. Not to lose it, but to entrust it. Not in fear, but in faith. Not for a season, but for eternity.
To give your children to God is not to lose them—it is to anchor them in eternal hands.
A Husband in Agreement: Elkanah’s Quiet Faith
Though the spotlight shines brightly on Hannah, we must not overlook the quiet strength of her husband, Elkanah. When Hannah made her vow to dedicate Samuel to the Lord, she could not fulfill it alone. Under the Mosaic Law (see Numbers 30:6–8), a husband had the authority to nullify a wife’s vow if he disapproved. But Elkanah did no such thing. In fact, when it came time to fulfill the promise, he said, “Do what seems best to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only, may the LORD establish his word” (1 Samuel 1:23).
Elkanah’s words reflect more than consent—they reveal spiritual unity. He didn’t stand in the way of surrender; he stood beside it. He entrusted not only his son, but also his wife’s heart, to God’s plan. Many fathers would have hesitated, clung to the child, or demanded a different course. But Elkanah honored the vow. This was not just Hannah’s offering—it was theirs.
God-honoring families require agreement in surrender. Elkanah models the quiet faith of a husband who supports his wife’s devotion to the Lord and is willing to let go of what is most precious for the sake of God’s greater purpose. In that way, he too participated in Samuel’s legacy.
5. Her Reward – Peace and Praise
Though not in our main chapter, the very next words from Hannah’s lips are a beautiful, prophetic song of worship (1 Samuel 2). God had not only opened her womb—He had opened her heart. Her act of lending became a legacy. Samuel would become one of the most faithful judges and prophets in Israel’s history. He would anoint David, the man after God’s own heart, through whom would come the Messiah—Jesus Christ.
And that’s the beauty of lent things in God’s hands: He multiplies what we give. As Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother… for My sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time…” (Mark 10:29–30).
Reflection and Application
Hannah’s story isn’t just a historical narrative—it’s an invitation. It invites us to ask:
- What are we holding onto that God is asking us to release?
- Is our prayer life full of honesty, or hollow words?
- Have we made any vows to God that we haven’t fulfilled?
- What would it look like to “lend” something to the Lord today—our children, our time, our resources, our dreams?
The New Testament makes it clear: “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)
To lend something to God is not to lose it—it is to watch it grow beyond our grasp and multiply for His glory.
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