I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord

1 Samuel 1:1-18, 19-28

Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Why?

Samual is born in the grace of the Lord and her mother prayed to the Lord and made a vow to give her son to the Lord. Hannah kept her prayer and vow with the Lord, for her son, Samual, is a promised son from the Lord, erased her shame in her family.

Hannah poured out her soul to the Lord, this is deep praying and Eli blessed her.  Most important the Lord listened to her pray.

Samuel: Because I asked the Lord for him.

Because of the mother with whole heart trust in the Lord, and she devoted her son to the Lord, and serve the Lord in whole his life. How beautiful a story it is.

Hannah had deep pain and great anguish and grief, Hannah knew no one could help her, only the Lord could change her life. So she went to pray to the Lord. 

How?

Do we have the faith as Hannan to pray to the Lord? May my heart and my mind focus on the Lord!