KEEP ON GOING
1 Samuel 1

The book of 1Samuel starts with the introduction of a certain man. 1 Samuel 1:1-3, Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh…” As it is written, the certain man, Elkanah, was consistent in going with his wives to worship and sacrifice to His God at Shiloh every year. Hannah, the beloved one, has no child and that was enough to stage a revolt by not going with her husband and Peninnah, the second wife. In her going, there was provocation from Peninnah. Hannah was being provoked for being barren and yet she did not give up in her going. In Hannah’s entire going, there was enough excuse for Hannah not to go but none of her excuse was enough to deny her from going to worship the Lord God. As a believer, is your circumstance generating enough excuse for you not to go to your place of worship any more? Not going and cutting back the time of going is all the same. Your situation is not enough excuse for you to turn away from worshiping God. Hannah continued in her going to worship the Lord God that did not open her womb. What can stand between you and your God? When mockery rise to your face, harassment point finger and when shame drums into your hearing, do not give up, keep on going and give it all to God. Peninnah’s contribution to Hannah’s pain was stated in 1Samuel 1:6, “And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb.” Although one may think that Hannah had legitimate reasons not to go to Shiloh, she did not allow these excuses to stop her from worshipping the Lord God of miracles. It was this worship and trust in the Lord that inhabited her miracle. When you know that all is for God, do not give up because at His appointed time His presence will visit you with a miracle. Do not give up because of what is around you; keep going because it is all about God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to keep moving on in the face of challenges. Ask for the grace not to give up in your serving Him.