LOVE'S SACRIFICE

Image result for CLIP ART SHOWING SACRIFICEThere were always at least two Bible stories that I could never read to my three little boys: Moses being placed in a basket to float in the Nile for his protection(?), and the story of Hannah giving Samuel, the child of 2-3 years of age to the Lord and leaving him with an elderly priest, Eli.  I never could wrap my mind and heart around that part of the stories of these two men.   Being an analyzer, too many questions would scream into my reality as I read those passages  while looking at my own three year old.  The questions are still there as I read the  story again. 

God is gracious and answers Hannah's prayer for a son.  She has vowed to God that she would "give him to the Lord all the days of his life."  According to Deuteronomy 23:21, "When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin to you, and the Lord your God will require it of you."  Hannah must have been devout and committed to her Lord.  The child is born, and he  is named Samuel (name of the Lord).  Scripture records that when Samuel had been weaned, he is probably about the age of two-three years old, that she returns to Shiloh for her yearly sacrifice and worship of God.  She brings the boy to Eli.  She gives Eli recall of who she is and the vow that she had made to God.  She gives praise probably before the congregation gathered to worship of God's answer to her prayer for the child.  Hannah and Elkanah leave the child with Eli, the priest, and the child will "minister to the Lord before Eli the priest." She only returned to Shiloh once a year to worship, taking clothing she has made for Samuel, and then leave, entrusting him again to the care of the Lord and Eli.  My small little mind cannot even take that in to understand!

Many of us have dedicated our children as infants or as young children to the Lord, and we may have done that in the presence of a congregation in our local body of Christ. As I read of Hannah's vow and commitment,  I confess that I do not fully understand the leaving of the child, but yet, in God's economy, Samuel is used of God to call Israel to return to the worship of Yahweh, the only true GOD.  He will also be used to choose the kings, Saul and David, and he will become a wise and godly counsel to them both. As I read of Hannah, I see her great sacrifice, and it is done in love and in trust of Yahweh.  ONE much greater than Hannah and Samuel has made love's sacrifice to redeem you and me back from the slave block of sin.  He was the highest bidder and it cost Him His very life.  Thank You, Lord God, for such an unbelievable and incomprehensible sacrifice of love.  "Amazing love, how can it be that you would die for one such as me?"  #IHAVETHRESONS

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