Because The Nest Has Been His All Along

Hannah loved God.

But her nest was empty.

And her heart ached.

Year after year she prayed,

and year after year she found herself childless…..

once again.

One year, when she had reached a point of desperation,

she prayed to God with a vow,

 

“Lord of Armies, if you will take notice of your servant’s affliction,

remember and not forget me, and give your servant a son,

I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life,

and his hair will never be cut.”

I Sam. 1:11

When Eli realized she was weeping and praying,

he said,

“Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant the request you’ve made of Him.”

I Sam. 1:12

Before they even returned home,

Scripture says,

“Hannah and her husband worshiped before the Lord.”

While still barren,

Hannah sang praises to God.

And when she finally conceived,

she kept her word to Him.

It’s difficult to imagine in this day and age,

but as soon as her little boy was old enough to sustain himself apart from her,

she left him at the temple with Eli.

And every year at the time of the annual sacrifice,

she would bring him a new little robe she had made just for him.

I can’t imagine being Hannah,

hugging her son goodbye year after year after

bringing him something to wear

she had woven together without the sound of him playing nearby.

But Hannah knew something I need to remember,

especially in these years of empty nest living.

God loves my kids more than I do.

He walks through every day of life with them

as I pray from a distance.

He meets their needs as I’m praying for their needs be met.

And like Hannah,

I want to live a life filled with worship and praise –

whether my nest is empty or full –

because the nest has been His all along.

I want to rise with confidence,

knowing whether my kids are still a dream

or are living upstairs

or miles and miles away

or in Heaven seated near His throne,

He is with them.

My nest is His.

It always has been.

And always will be.

(Today’s reading was from Judges 19-21 and I Samuel 1 – 3.)