Ep. 74 - Hannah & Peninnah | Women of the Bible Series Ep. 14

Have you ever wanted/yearned for something so badly your heart aches?  Maybe it was to become a wife or a mother, maybe for a new job or a home.  And in those circumstances, have you ever looked around you and it seemed like everyone else was getting the blessings you only dreamed of?  We’ve all been there in one way or another.

In this story today, we’re introduced to 2 women, Hannah and Peninnah.  Remember this was a different time in history where polygamy was very common and Hannah and Peninnah are the wives of Elkanah.  Peninnah had several children with Elkanah and would often provoke Hannah because she wasn’t able to have children of her own. Peninnah would nag Hannah so bad that she was grieved in her soul and wouldn’t eat or drink because of her barrenness.

Hannah knew there was only one person she could go to that could help her - on one of their annual trips to Shiloh Hannah went to the temple by herself and poured her heart out to God her prayer was so intense that Eli the priest thought she was drunk. He must have felt really bad when he confronted her and she told him that she was a woman of sorrowful spirit and hasn’t had anything to drink but was pouring her soul out before the Lord.

The amazing thing about this story is when Hannah left the temple her countenance changed she was no longer sad and she began eating again. God hadn’t answered her prayer at that point but she left everything she had on the altar trusting that God was going to answer her prayer. If only we could pray and have the faith Hannah did!

Listen now for the full lesson

God Bless from our Hearts to Yours,

Ashlee & Tabitha