God has a special place for the barren woman. Yet again the story of a great man begins with a barren woman.

Hannah is barren, and much despised for it. So she goes and prays to the Lord, and he hears her. When her son is born, Samuel, she dedicates him to the Lord.

He goes to live with Eli, the then priest, and grows and ministers to the Lord. Eventually he hears the Lord speak in the middle of the night.

Three times he thinks it is Eli, before finally Eli tells him to go and when his name is called, say “Here I am Lord”

So he does, and the book of Samuel begins.

1 Samuel Chapter 2 has also what looks like one of the first prophesies about Jesus, when a man of God says that the house of Eli will be bereft because of the sins of his sons (who rob the people who come to sacrifice to God) and that a new prophet will be raised up who will minister to God for ever.

Dear God, Thank you for the amazing last month. It has been strange and up and down and beautiful and scary, and You have revealed bits of your grace to me. Thank you for that, thank you for the healing. Please be with my father as he travels home. Thank you also for H, who called today to see if I was okay with my dad leaving. Please be with her and her mother, who is suffering terribly.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.