Daily Journal: 21 June

No Longer Barren

Pointless. That was Hannah’s depiction of her life before she had her first son, Samuel.

In middle eastern culture, in ancient times, the status of a woman was qualified by her ability to create a lineage for her husband. No lineage, no value.

The story of Hannah in the bible illustrates how God’s plans mean more to God than our plans. He sees the picture of impact across families, communities, nations and the world, whereas we simply see our personal need. This is illustrated in Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel chapter one.

She was desperate for a baby. She was cruelly provoked for not having any children by another woman who was prolific in childbearing. It made her life a misery. She was a devout believer in God and cried out to God to help her become pregnant.

1 Samuel 1:10

(GWT) Though she was resentful, she prayed to the Lord while she cried.

(ESV) She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.

The bible says she was unable to have children because God had closed her womb. She didn’t know God was the one who had closed it, nor did she know that the very child she prayed for and pledged to Him was the reason God had sealed her womb.

Though she was desperate about her inability to produce life in her womb, God used her belief, her desperate hope, her anguish and her pain to produce a leader priest in Israel, from the Levite line of priests, at just the right time in Israel’s history. Samuel. Because of her pain she pledged her first born to God, as was the custom in that time, but she pledged her child’s whole life. God used her tragedy to unlock Israel’s turning point of salvation from their enemies by causing Samuel to be her first born.

If you’re feeling barren in your life – things seem broken beyond measure and there’s not the life and renewal that you crave after years of prayer, hope and belief in God – trust that God will bring about your 'fertility' at just the right moment for the purpose He’s designed.

We can be barren on many levels in life but God really does want us to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). The bible talks widely about increase and growth, building, rebuilding, and restoration, when life has been impaired.

You are not good for nothing.

1 Samuel 1:16-17 (GWT)

Don’t take me to be a good-for-nothing woman. I was praying like this because I’ve been troubled and tormented.”

Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your request.”

After Hannah’s intercession with God and the priest Eli’s blessing, Hannah went on her way, no longer barren. The bible says her face was no longer downcast. She believed. She trusted. She committed her desperation to God and left it with Him. Then God fit her desire to be fruitful in with His greater desire to save the nation of Israel. He used her son, Samuel, to do it.

Even in times of emptiness, when you feel barrenness will be your end, God has a purpose for you to live out. Part of that purpose is to be a carrier of faith. Wait and watch with confident expectation that at the right time, God will cause your life to become fruitful, rich and full. He has a plan, though you may not see it.

I pray that you will rest in the knowledge that God has your small picture and His big picture all mapped out. He will cause fertility to bloom in your life at exactly the right moment. I pray you will be prepared to carry what you're birthing, be ready to deliver what God calls, and then keep on producing.