I keep noticing that everyone seems to be an Ephrathite, someone from Bethlehem. The Levite who came to Micah’s house was, Naomi’s husband was, and now Samuel’s father. Of course, since Jesus was a direct descendant of Ruth, through David, his ancestral family was from Bethlehem too.

We’ve seen stories like this before in the Bible. Hannah is the loved wife with no children.

God is setting up history. He doesn’t cause suffering to make people suffer. He allowed Hannah’s barrenness so that she would get to the point of offering her child to the Lord.

The Lord God Almighty was writing the story of history. It’s a lot bigger than any of us, but each individual matters in the story.

Hannah is deeply loved by her husband, as Abraham loved Sarah and Jacob loved Rachel. Their worth to their husbands wasn’t in producing sons.

Hannah pours out her heart to the Lord. She’s sad. She’s anxious. She weeps and prays in her heart. Hannah tells the priest Eli that she is praying, and he declares, “The Lord grant your petition.”

Hannah believes him. Her tears are dried. Her heart is glad. She has faith that she’ll have a son. He’s a child born of faith.

What if he hadn’t said that? Would she have had a son? We don’t know. It was part of the story.

Hannah gives birth to Samuel and she stays home with him when her husband goes up to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord with a sacrifice. Hannah says she’ll keep him home until the boy is weaned. Her husband says that’s fine, only, “May the Lord establish his word.”

And it happens. God establishes Samuel’s words and not one falls to the ground. He’s confirmed as a prophet.

What if his father hadn’t spoken that over him? We’ll never know. It was written into the story.

Your life is part of the story. A word you speak, whether in prayer or in passing, could be the turning point in your story, in someone else’s story, in the whole story of God’s redemption!

Give each day and moment to the Lord. Give Him your words. Let Him use them in His story.