“The Lord remembered [Hannah]… She gave birth to a son.”
– 1 Samuel 1:19-20
The reason you need to go to the Lord with your burden is that if He’s the one allowing the burden, He’s the only one who can release you from it. That’s one of the important lessons we can learn from the experience of Hannah. We know that 1 Samuel 1:19 wasn’t the first time Elkanah and Hannah had marital relations. It wasn’t anything physical that made the difference when Hannah became pregnant. Today’s verse and additional Scripture could not be any clearer that it was the Lord releasing her from her burden.
I also want you to see that this didn’t necessarily happen the next day. It may have been months later. The point is, Hannah had no up-front promise. She had Eli’s word of encouragement, and that was very important. But I don’t think Eli was giving her a guaranteed answer. He was saying, “Hannah, your prayer is a good one, and I’ll pray with you that the Lord will answer it.”
My friend, if she could speak to you today, Hannah would have good news for you.
But Hannah had prayed. She knew where to turn. She saw her inability to conceive as from the Lord, and she knew that was where the answer would come from. And God remembered her. Everything about Samuel’s birth, right down to his name, was a testimony to answered prayer. And notice that Hannah did not forget her vow. She kept her word to the Lord. My friend, if she could speak to you today, Hannah would have good news for you.
She would tell you that circumstances may be a word, but they are never the last word when you belong to the Lord. Until God speaks, the last word hasn’t yet been spoken. Man may have a say whether it’s on your job, in your home or anywhere. But God always has the final say.
Until God speaks, the last word hasn’t yet been spoken.
Sure, you may have been given a bad word by your boss, friend, family member, doctor or circumstances. Things could be tight, challenging or even painful and barren. But if you are a child of the King, earth’s word is never the last word. The last word hasn’t been spoken until God speaks.
That may not be tomorrow, but like Hannah you can have God’s peace about it today if you’ll take your burden to Him.
