The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Samuel 1:1-2, 4-7, “Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country 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.
2 He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children….

4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; 5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had closed her womb. 6 Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.”
7 It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.”

For a number of years I have engaged in genealogy, tracing my family heritage. Strange names often appeared; and many times I’ve encountered names of former family members or even the names of close friends.

Elkanah, in our verses above, means “God has possessed.” Thus, the LORD was in charge right from the start. Elkanah had two wives, but Hannah, who was childless, he loved more. Hannah was tormented by the other wife because she had children and Hannah did not. Instead of retaliating, Hannah turned gently to the LORD. It was then than the LORD answered Hannah’s prayer and Samuel was born. It was all in God’s doing and in His timing.

It’s easy in this day of “instant everything” to question why the LORD takes so long in all that He does. The best answer is: “We’ll understand it better by and by.” And so it is with all of His delays. We are not to question the LORD; we’re just to live in faith and trust Him.

Nobody said it was easy. Yet, we need to mature in our faith, knowing that He knows best; and, as with Samuel, the wait will be the way of the LORD and will result in His ultimate glory! Persist in prayer; be patient in time. “”He has done all things well…” (Mark. 7:37). May God bless you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom