A sacrifice of thanksgiving

    In 1 Samuel chapter 1, we are introduced to Hannah. She was one of two wives of her husband, Elkanah. The other wife, Peninnah, had children but Hannah had none. Each year they would go to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord. While there, Peninnah would torment her because she was barren. She was so grieved that she would cry and refuse to eat. On one occasion, she prayed to God in her heart. She promised God that if He gave her a son, she would give him back to the Lord all the days of his life and she would never cut his hair. Eli, the priest was nearby and saw her lips moving but no sound was coming out. He, therefore surmised that she was drunk and rebuked her. But when she explained herself to him, he prayed that God would grant her petition.
    In the course of time, Hannah became pregnant and called her son Samuel. After she had weaned him, she fulfilled her promise to God. She took him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh, along with a sacrifice and left him there. Hannah offered thanksgiving to God for what He had done for her. In the process of time, the Lord blessed Hannah with five more children - three sons and two daughters (Chapter 2).
    What is interesting to me is Hannah’s willingness to give back to God what He had given to her. Yes, she was desperate for a child and you would think that she would want to keep what God had given her. Yet, she was willing to give him up. She chose to honour her vow to the Lord even if it meant releasing the very thing she had asked for. 
    This act in itself was one of thanksgiving. She appreciated the faithfulness of the Giver to honour her request. Yet, the Giver was more important to her than what He had actually given. I guess it was more important for her to show thanks and appreciation to her God. And the best way to show her gratitude was to give the very thing she had asked for. In this way, she was telling God that He was more important than the thing she desired. 
    Hannah gave a sacrifice and it was meant to show her gratitude to the God who had done the impossible for her. He did not just give her a child, but He took away the shame she felt because of her barrenness. She had received a lot more from God than her mere request and she understood this. Hence her willingness and choice to honour the vow she had made to Him. 
    It helps when we understand that when God answers our prayers, that God is doing so much more than just answering a prayer request. Besides giving us what we ask for, He may be adding peace, joy, breaking bondages that need to be broken off of our lives. He may even be bringing us to a place of restoration and wholeness. God had done so much more for Hannah than just give her a son. He had taken away her shame and brought an end to the torment from her husband’s other wife. He had rescued her in more ways than one. And because of the sacrifice she made, she was blessed with not one but five more children. God blessed her above and beyond what she had asked for. She was willing to be content and grateful for one child. But when she gave that child back to God and with a heart of gratitude, God gave her even more than what she had given.
    Choose to be thankful for what God has done for you. When God answers, He may be doing even more than what you asked for. And there is nothing that you can give to God that will ever be more than what He will actually give to you. God is not afraid to give us His best. Don’t be afraid to give your best to Him.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. We are not serving a selfish God who will barely give us what we need. God desires to bless us abundantly, far beyond what we can imagine or hope. So, be thankful because God will never fail you.

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