Hannah was filled with grief. She wept. She couldn’t eat. Her husband didn’t get it. She prayed and prayed and prayed to God, asking for a child. She pleaded saying, “If you give me a child, I will dedicate that child to you.” I am sure we have all prayed a similar prayer at a point of desperation. “If you are there God and you have the power, I promise I will do anything If you just do this one thing for me. Please God please.” She was mouthing her prayers silently, so filled with sorrow, when Eli, a priest, sees her and thinks she is hammered, “Put away the wine, you look like a drunken spectacle.” She explains the whole thing. He tells her, “Go in Peace, the God of Israel grants the petition you have made to him.” And she leaves.
Soon after, she gets pregnant, has a son, Samuel, dedicates him to the Lord, he becomes Bible famous, etc. She also has a nice prayer that I was supposed to write about, but I didn’t get that far. I was so struck by her story. The struggle to create a family. The great sorrow and great joy. The desperate pleas to a mysterious God. The need for understanding and a community that is free of judgment and cruelty. Is this not all our stories? But the part that had me really thinking about our church community is when Hannah dedicates her child to God. I think of all the children that have been dedicated at Samuel. And while Hannah dedicated her child to God, in a similar sense, our church community is dedicating ourselves to these children. We will come alongside these children in times of great sorrow and great joy. We join in desperate pleas to a mysterious God. We give understanding and a community free of judgement and cruelty. We are dedicating ourselves to each other’s stories. What a beautiful and holy bond. I am grateful that my children will grow with all of you. And I am grateful for all the children that we learn from and grow with each week. Amen.
