Thursday, January 10, 2008

This morning I was reading 1 Samuel 1 to my seven year old son, Justin, and it hit me in such a powerful way. I've always been touched by the story of Hannah and Samuel, but today, holding my little boy in my lap, I actually felt Hannah's loss in a new way. I couldn't imagine for a moment giving my son to temple priests and seeing him once a year just to bring him a little robe. The love and trust Hannah had in the Lord is truly awe-inspiring. I don't know that I will ever come close to it in my lifetime.

Yes, God rewarded her sacrifice with three more sons and two daughters, but she didn't know He would do that when she gave up her only son--her firstborn--after so many barren years. How she must have loved him, and how much more she loved the Lord to keep her promise to Him.

It is now 2008; centuries and a world away from Hannah and Samuel . . . and I see her sacrifice and feel her heart, and pray for that kind of love; a love born of a bone-deep trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

When I am alone,
When I am alone,
When I am alone,
Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Give me Jesus.



https://waltermartin.com/listening_library/Give_Me_Jesus.ram

Give me Jesus
(Recorded by my good friend Dwayna Litz)

5 Comments:

Blogger JohnD said...

Was this yours or Dwayna's?

It's great, no matter. This is also a picture of the sacrifice God felt for giving his own Son.

It may not occur to most but there are aspects of God that are the origin of the good traits in women as well as men. Not that I buy into the feminist theology in the least. But as I recall from seminary training "El Shaddai" speaks of the double breasted God... (meaning comfort).

It puts an end to the Harem-esque mentality of the way some interpret the metaphors in:

Isaiah 60:16 You will drink the milk of nations and be nursed at royal breasts. Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Our Heavenly Father can relate to women better than I think most realize. That point being made, I think also we must consider the passage you mentioned in 1 Samuel as some prophetic idea of what it is like to not only sacrifice your very own son (depicted in the priestly service of Samuel) but to also have him become as an alien to you (depicted by Hannah's surrender of the child at such a young age).

The Word became the hybrid between God and man forever. He is the bridge between both which required he become both... thus making him all alone in the universe and eternity. No one is like him. No one else is both God and man. So the sacrifice of our Lord began 33 years before his crucifixion. When he became a man he ceased being able to identify with the Father and the Holy Spirit as fully as he had previously.

Think that doesn't matter? Note his anguish the moment God turned his back on him on the cross. It matters a lot. Ask Hannah.

11:02 AM  
Blogger Jill Martin Rische said...

Thanks for your comments, John. Yes, it's my post (Sorry for the confusion). I love how Dwayna sings that song, so I had to include it.

God bless,

Jill

9:33 PM  
Blogger JohnD said...

It is very nice. Just reconfigured my audio so I could hear it.

1:19 AM  
Blogger Jill Martin Rische said...

Great! :)

1:36 PM  
Blogger BRIAN JAMES SHANLEY said...

Excellent article! I am forwarding it on to my Christian mailing list!


Rev. Brian James Shanley
Author of “MANHATTAN MASSACRE”
And “MINNEAPOLISTAN” [coming soon]
Minneapolis, MN, USA
612-867-0699
bjshanley@hotmail.com
www.myspace.com/rev_shanley

5:36 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home