10-10-2025 PART 1: Loved and Laid Before the Lord

SECTION 1
Hannah, having received Samuel by God’s grace, chooses not to travel for the annual sacrifice until the child is weaned. Her resolve underscores a mother’s stewardship: children are God’s, lent to parents for a season to nurture and then release back to Him. She intends to “leave him with the Lord permanently,” embodying surrender and trust. The narrative reframes parental expectations—no child “owes” us; we all owe God, the giver of life. Hannah models enjoying the present moments with her son while preparing for faithful obedience later, reminding every parent (and every believer connected to children in church family) that identity and destiny ultimately belong to the Lord.

SECTION 2
Elkanah shines as a wise, supportive husband. When Hannah explains her plan, he answers, “Do whatever you think is best… may the Lord help you keep your promise.” Rather than ruling, he partners—illustrating that marriage is a 100–100 union where leadership serves, not dominates. The account pushes back against harsh caricatures of authority, echoing Jesus’ model of foot-washing leadership. In healthy homes, spouses discern together; sometimes the wisest move is to step back and back up what God has entrusted to the other. This unity shields the household from division and honors that both husband and wife first belong to the Lord before they belong to one another.

SECTION 3
After weaning, Hannah brings Samuel with a three-year-old bull—possibly hinting at the child’s age—and reminds Eli, “Do you remember me?” Ministry memory can blur, yet God’s faithfulness does not. The episode widens the lens from one family to the whole faith community: whether parent, aunt, uncle, or church member, we all share responsibility to encourage God’s children toward their primary identity as sons and daughters of the Most High. Stewardship will be evaluated by the Lord, who entrusted these lives to our care. The call is simple and searching: support one another, honor God’s assignments, and help every child—and every believer—stand before Him as His own.