How many times have we seen this verse posted on social media when a baby is born? Or seen it framed in a nursery? It’s sweet, it’s sentimental, and it conveys how much that couple wanted their baby.
Let’s look back at the beginning of this 1 Samuel chapter 1 and allow me to bullet point this story for a minute…
• Hannah desperately wanted a baby!
• She sat on the stairs at the temple, crying and begging God to allow her to get pregnant.
• So much so that the Eli the priest thought she was drunk and chastised her for it.
• She explained her desperation and Eli told her God had heard her prayers.
• She then got pregnant.
• Knowing that that baby was a gift from God, she weaned him and gave him back to the Lord.
So, as you can see, she had a deep desire for a baby, because it was honorable back then, and she wanted to honor God. When she birthed her deeply prayed for baby, she weaned him and took him back to the temple and put him in the care of Eli.
Can you even imagine?
The baby that you so desperately want?
The baby that you agonize in prayer over for months or even years?
Taking that baby and giving it to someone else?
For someone else to raise.
For someone else to love.
For someone else to care for.
For someone else to watch those milestones.
That’s how much she loved the Lord!
I think we love verse 27 but we never read the next verse. So let me share it with you – it says “therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”
Now imagine the child that you agonized over in prayer… try to imagine giving that child back to God.
Allowing Him to shape and mold that child.
Allowing Him to have full work in their life.
Trusting Him with every aspect of your child’s life.
Honestly, isn’t that what we should be doing as mom’s anyway?
Not hovering,
not cajoling,
not controlling,
not helicoptering,
not “lawn mowering“.
Simply trusting that our children are ultimately better taken care of by God than us. It’s not easy. It’s gut-wrenchingly hard.
But is it worth it?
Absolutely! And if you know my story, you know I’ve had to do this. A couple of times… I’ve given each one of those girls to the Lord. Both at a definitive moment as well as on the daily. And I can say that God remains faithful!
If you are a mama of littles, or are praying for a baby, I encourage you to open your Bibles and read 1 Samuel chapter 1. Actually, go ahead and read chapter 2 verses 1-10 while you’re at it…
Come back and let’s chat!
ShannonFabulous 
This is so beautiful and so true. It’s so difficult to let go and let God, but that’s what we have to do. My problem was being impatient and not feeling like I was being heard. But I had to remember, it’s all on God’s time, it’s His plan not mine. I was trying to control the scenario. Thank you for sharing!
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