BOLD Ministry

Some start further along than many. Jim Collins, who wrote "Good to Great" seemed to start somewhere between good and very good. But most of us start somewhere around mess and then struggle up from that point. In reading about this woman Hannah, in the Old Testament book 1 Samuel, there is a lot of ironic wisdom that emerges from the emotional quagmire of her story.

3. Each year Elkanah and his family would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at the Tabernacle. The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli-Hophni and Phinehas. 4 On the day Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the sacrifice to Peninnah and each of her children. 5 But he gave Hannah a special portion because he loved her very much, even though the Lord had given her no children. 6 But Peninnah made fun of Hannah because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 Year after year it was the same-Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle.

What I find totally ironic in this passage are these elements:
1. The Elkanah's are faithfully going up to do the right thing according to God, but not everyone in the family is seeing the benefits of this excercise.
2. The head rector or pastor's sons are as corrupt at they come. This points to the fact that a good God can work even in bad churches.
3. Hannah's doing all the right things, and it says in verse 5 that the Lord closed up Hannah's womb. Sometimes the fight of faith feels like God's not listening, or worse yet, He's against us.
4. On top of the religious hypocracy, and the depression that comes from not having children, Hannah is taunted by her husband's other wife - on the way to worship, nonetheless. This points to the truth that we don't always get to chose the one's on the bus. (Sorry Jim Collins).

If Jim Collins were to write this one, he might title it "From Worst to Worstest."

There are some interesting truths that would emerge from this horrific scenerio.
1. Hannah would give birth, and to a son.
2. Her son would become a great prophet and judge, ultimately anointing Israel's greatest king, David.
3. Eli and his son's would ultimately die in a most uncelebrated manner.
4. The Lord would use Hannah's life to encourage millions of women and men for the next millenia.
5. What originally was living hell, turned around, and Hannah's Mess became a Message.

Usually the Lord delights in taking our messes, and turning them into messages. He is the author of them, not us. He does the writing with our lives, our needs and our frailties, and as we are poured out on the pages of today, he scribes words that will encourage and guide others into tomorrow.