God Works through the Dysfunctional and Obedient

God works through both the Dysfunctional and Obedient:
1 Sam 1:1-20

As I looked over and over this passage this morning, I began to see a family who was dysfunctional. There is a man who is married to two women, possibly because the first could not bear children. The two women are not fond of one another, and one even pokes fun and rivals the other because of her inability to bear children. In addition to the rivalry in the home, the husband loves one wife more than the other and generously gives her double portions, while only giving regular portions to the other wife and her/his children. I am sure this does not go over well at the Elkanah house.

Hannah, the wife who couldn't bear children, is heartbroken over her condition and environment. So, she is emotionally and spiritually distraught. This seems like a story one would see on "Jewish Days of our Lives". But in this dysfunctional, messed up, hodgepodge familial, personal strife, God still works. Hannah goes to the temple to pray about her situation and vows to the Lord and cries, "If you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head."

While she is praying, the priest sees her lips moving, but nothing coming out, and proceeds to believe that this woman is drunk. It may have been a common occurrence that Eli (the priest) observed back in those days, drunk women at the temple. Hannah shares with Eli that she is not drunk, but troubled in spirit and pouring our her heart and soul to the Lord. Having shared her anxiety, vexation, and troubles with Eli, he in return prays for her that "the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him."

Hannah now can go back home in peace. But before going home, she rises (along with her husband) early in the morning and worships the Lord. After arriving back at home Elkanah and Hannah know (aka "are intimate) one another, and Hannah conceives and bears a son.

The greatest truth that I or we can possibly take from this account is God's ability and power to work through sinful, broken, fragile, dysfunctional, fragmented, and imperfect people. This is great news to me. For I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, I am sinful, damaged, fragile, imperfect, and many times dysfunctional. But in my chaos God is the calmer and works despite who I am. But, I want us to see a few things that God works through even amidst broken, damaged, imperfect people.

God works through...
1) Elkanah's Love for Hannah

2) Hannah's Personal, Sacrificial Prayer

3) Eli's Prayer for Hannah

4) Elkanah's and Hannah's Intimacy

Despite the things they do get wrong and are broken, there are some things these people get right. Loving on those with imperfections is one. Brokenness of heart being poured out to the Lord is another. Contained with this prayer, Hannah promises to dedicate the answered prayer back to God and his glory. A third avenue God works through is the prayer people make on behalf of other people. Eli prays for Hannah and sends her on her way. Last, Hannah and Elkanah do not give up. They "know" one another. Whether or not God answers her prayer, she will still "know" her husband, and her husband will still "know" her. Through their love for one another, Hannah's prayer, Eli's prayer, and their intimacy with one another, God sovereignly works and provides Hannaha and Elkanah a healthy baby boy, who would turn out to be one of the most prominent, influential, and spiritual figures in Israelite/Old Testament history.

Remember these two truths today:
- God works through imperfect, dysfunctional people
- God works through the obedience of these imperfect, dysfunctional people