Hannah Woman of Worship

There is no better time than in doubt and sorrow to exercise wisdom. It is not that our questions aren’t worth asking, or that our wounds do not matter to the holy, all-powerful One. But what matters even more is where we go with our questions, doubts, unmet desire, and wounded hearts. In this, Hannah beautifully exemplifies a Woman of Wisdom. She knows where to go.

Notice that Hannah didn’t call her mother and have a good cry. She didn’t gossip about Peninnah to another friend, or ask Eli a theological question like, “How could a good God allow my dreams to go unfulfilled?” She did not demand that her husband take care of her problems by becoming hysterical like Rachel of old, who wailed to Jacob, “Give me children or else I die!” (Genesis 30:1).

No, none of these are the response of a truly wise woman. First Samuel 1:9 says that after the sacrificial meal was finished—apparently not by Hannah, who refused to eat according to verse 7—“Hannah stood up” (NIV).

She proceeded to go to the tabernacle, though we are not told why until later. In the next Life Lesson, we will look at the prayer that Hannah prayed. But for now, it’s important for us to see where she went with all her tattered emotions, longings, hurts, and confusion. She got as close as she could possibly get to the presence of God. Was she welcome at the tabernacle? The resounding answer is yes! Maybe not by Eli at first, but certainly by her heavenly Father, a God who has been pursuing His people since the dawn of time.

After all, she had no one else to whom she could turn. Hannah probably felt emotions similar to those later described in Psalm 73:25–28. What does the Psalmist say in these verses about his relationship with God and time spent in God’s presence?

Fast-forward to the New Testament, when Christ had come to earth to remove any boundaries between us and the Holy One. We no longer have to go to a specific geographical location to be in His presence. We no longer need an earthly priest to make intercession for us. There is no longer any separation between us and the holiest place. We can go straight to the Father, pleading our right to be there by the blood of His son, Jesus. What does 1 Peter 5:7 invite us to do?

In the last Life Lesson, we discussed the fact that even a priest in Hannah’s day could make a mistake. He had to have a sacrifice to cover even his own sins. What does Hebrew 4:14–16 teach us about approaching God when we are hurting?

What are your deepest hurts today? Name them here.

Now ask yourself, where do I go when I hurt? Do I bury my wounds in gossip, workaholism, or ice cream? Do I put an undue burden on a good friend, a spouse, a parent, or a child by expecting that person to carry my load? Do I turn to pop culture or my pastor? Or do I model wisdom and take my concerns straight to the One who created me and loves me more deeply than anyone else could ever comprehend?

Prayer Time for a Woman of Wisdom

Ask God to help you deal wisely with both your wants and your wounds, by taking them to the appropriate place.

Thank God that He has invited us into His presence, that we can approach His throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:14–16) because of the sacrifice of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19–22).