Prayerful Hannah
Begin in silence…
Begin by quieting the noise around you and inside you. Sit still for a few minutes, fixing your gaze on God.
Set the scene…
For today’s scripture, we travel to the hill country of Ephraim located several miles northeast of Jerusalem. The passage takes place in the same time period as the book of Ruth when Israel has no king. The story of Hannah, like Ruth, is a beautiful depiction of lament and faith.
Hannah and a woman named Peninnah are wives of Elkanah, a Levite. However, only Peninnah has given birth to children. At the annual sacrifice to the Lord, their husband expresses his love and compassion for childless Hannah by giving her a double portion of meat. Year after year, Peninnah taunts Hannah for having no children, to the point of making her cry and refuse to eat. Finally, Hannah laments in prayer to the Lord, and a nearby priest hears her.