Passing Through

25 When they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. 27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 28 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. 1 Sam 1:25

Hannah is devastated because she cannot have any children.  She pray and God grants her a child.  she dedicates her child, Samuel, to God.  I would have done the same thing, in theory.  Hannah takes her vow seriously.  Once she is done breastfeeding the boy, she takes him to the temple and gives him to the priests to raise and train for work in the temple.  She gave him away.

What?

How many times do I pray for something from God and want it totally for myself?  How many times do I get things from God and keep them totally for myself?  Maybe the blessings of God are not meant to stay in my hands.  Maybe they are meant to pass through my hands.

May the things that you give me bring you greater glory.  May I not be the end user who keeps things for himself.  May what you bless me with bless others.

[tags]prayer, selfishness, 1 Samuel 1, blessing[/tags]