Hannah and the Many Amazing Women in the Bible; 1 Samuel 2:1-8

 

Rev. George Miller

Oct 13, 2024

1 Samuel 2:1-8

 

For the past 6 weeks we have been journeying through the Narrative Lectionary, and we hope that you are experiencing the sacred texts in a vibrant way.

 

We have gone from cool breezes to starry skies; Joseph bringing healing to the family and the Israelites learning how to navigate what it means to be free.

 

As Denee, our Communications Coordinator would say, we are “Exploring God’s Story.”

 

As such, we are seeing how each scripture builds upon the other, leading us closer and closer to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

 

Today, I am excited because we arrive at a part of the Narrative Lectionary that can be a big “a-ha! moment” for many people.

 

Today, we hear the words and the story of a woman, and in doing so, we begin to realize that there are way more Biblical stories and appearances by women than we may have realized or been taught.

 

Hannah is our focus today, and what a powerful person she is.

 

It’s been centuries since the Israelites were set free.  Though they are finally in the Promised Land, they’re still trying to figure things out.

 

Because they are still figuring things out, they are making many mistakes; having moments of chaos and not so good choices.

 

But God is still with them, and they are still pressing through.

 

In today’s reading, we meet Hannah, a woman who wants nothing more than to have a child.

 

Though she has bouts of sadness and doubt, though she refers to herself as a woman deeply  troubled, she has strong wings of faith that keep her flying forward.

 

Even when facts seem to go against her, even when she is disrespected by the local clergy, Hannah does not lose her focus, she does not lose her faith.

 

Through a series of events, Hannah has a child, who she names Samuel, and in an act of unselfishness, she offers him up to be a Nazirite.

 

After 3 years, Hannah brings her son to the House of the Lord, where he will be raised under the guidance of the priest.

 

Then, Hannah offers a prayer.  And it is a prayer for the ages.

 

She says her heart is exalted in the Lord; she finds her strength in God. 

 

She rejoices in her victory, referring to the Lord as a God of knowledge.

 

Hannah’s prayer celebrates the feeble who put on strength; the hungry who are fed; the defeat of enemies, poor who become rich, and the lowly who are raised up.

 

Do you hear the power in her prayer?  Can we verify the victory in her voice?

 

This woman, this Hannah, is not passive.  She is no victim, she is not helpless, hidden, or invisible.

 

She is loud, she is proud, she is present, and she is HERE!

 

Hannah becomes a role model for anyone, any place, any time, who has faced insurmountable odds in which they were laughed at, scorned, or told to give up.

 

Hannah is as victorious as any warrior, any King, as any man we have read about in Scripture.

 

And Hannah is not the only one.

 

The Bible is filled with rich stories about women who speak up, act up, laugh, cry, imagine, make tragic mistakes and usher in great victories.

 

Hannah joins the likes of Sarah, who had the audacity to laugh at something God said, which ushers in the opportunity for God to say “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?,” one of the most important statements in the Bible.

 

Hannah joins Hagar, who in Genesis 6, runs away into the wilderness, has an angelic experience, and becomes the first person in the Bible to give God a name.

 

Hannah joins the likes of Miriam, the sister of Moses, who sings a song of success in Exodus 15:20.

 

After crossing the Red Sea, Miriam leads the women in taking tambourines, and with song and dance, sing to the Lord for giving them victory and defeating their enemy.

 

Some scholars say that Miriam’s song may have been the first part of the Bible ever written down.

 

We see how Sarah’s laughter inspires one of the greatest statements about God.

 

Hagar’s heartbreak leads her to be the first to give God a name.

 

Miriam and the women may have inspired the first written words of Scripture.

 

And Hannah prays a prayer that sounds like a mighty warrior, exulting the Lord, focusing on strength, celebrating wisdom, and showing concern for the poor and hungry.

 

These are all women; these are all stories about women.

 

They have always been there, right here, in the Bible, to give every one of us courage and strength, focus and vitality,

 

regardless if we are female or male, old or young, educated or new to the faith.

 

And this legacy of Hannah, this legacy of women like Hagar and Miriam, they continue into the New Testament.

 

In Luke chapter 1, when the angel visits Mary, she may ask “How can this be?”

 

But it allows the angel to remind her “Nothing will be impossible with God.”

 

And when Mary realizes the role she will play in Salvation, what does she say?

 

Mary says “My soul magnifies the Lord.  God’s mercy is for those who show reverence.”

 

“God has lifted up the lowly, fed the hungry, helped God’s people and remembered the promises made to the ancestors.”

 

Mary’s prayer is much like Hannah, with echoes of strength and faith, social justice and concern for others.

 

Mary, Hannah, Miriam, Hagar, and Sarah are but a few of the women we meet.

 

Mary, Hannah, Miriam, Hagar, and Sarah are great role models for us, all of us, as we Explore God’s Story, as we learn together

 

-what does faith look like?

 

-what can faith do?

 

-how do we lean upon God with wisdom and action, words and wonder?

 

The people of God, the women and the men, have lived such full full lives, and their stories are here to inspire us.

 

For that we can say “Amen.”

God is Here, Even When Facing Chaos; Sermon on Exodus 32:1-14

 

Rev. George Miller

Oct 6, 2024

Exodus 32:1-14

 

Many years ago, when much younger, I was seeing a psychologist who referred a book about being addicted to chaos.

 

The premise was simple- doctors were noticing patients who were in constant crisis mode.  The doctors began to wonder if there are those who unintentionally bring chaos onto themselves.

 

Things like people in the hospital who seem to be doing well, but on the day of discharge, came down with a new ailment.

 

There is a good reason why the psychologist gave me that book- I was always dealing with chaos.

 

For example, constant car issues, and every time something car related occurred, I reacted as if it was hurting my soul.

 

Every 2 months, something happened- a flat tire, fender bender, broken tape deck.

 

Reading this book made me question my experiences. 

 

So, when my engine went, instead of immediately going into chaotic, victim mode, a brand-new thought came to mind-

 

“Cars are technical objects.  Technical objects have technical issues.  So take care of it now and start saving for when something technical happens.”

 

This thought process still cost $250, however, somehow, some way, it would be many months before another car issue emerged, and I responded differently.

 

Was the book right?  Was the psychologist onto something?

 

Had I been so addicted to chaos that my energy, my actions were creating swirls of angst that unnecessarily surrounded me?

 

Since then, I have developed a theory- if a pastor does not need chaos to be happy, then chaos is greatly reduced.

 

Now- ya’ll make think “chaos to be happy?- that’s insane!”, but-don’t we all have that one friend, that one family member that if they don’t have chaos to talk about, there’s nothing for them to say?

 

One of the biggest heartbreaks in my life is watching how, as my Mother aged, she was actually happy being unhappy, and because of this she, she died at the very young age of 73.

 

Being addicted to chaos can sound so foolish, but perhaps that is part of what is going on in today’s reading.

 

Here we have a story about Moses, God, Aaron, and the Israelites, and they have all been through some thangs.

 

After over 400 years of slavery, the Israelites are set free. 

 

But before that takes place there is a series of plagues and disasters.  They dedicate their first born to God; make bread without yeast.

 

Then they flee the Pharaoh, come against the Red Sea, and amidst dark skies, the sea parts…

 

…and the people are expected to walk between those walls of swirling, uncertain waters…

 

We have seen the images from Asheville of what water can do.

 

Who would want to be the first person to step through that Red Sea wall, trusting that it would not close in on you?

 

Then, the Israelites wander the wilderness for 3 months, before setting up camp by Mt. Sinai.

 

And you know what God decides to do?

 

God decides that after allll that, God and Moses are going to have a 40-day pow-wow where it is just the 2 of them, on top of the mountain, with God giving Moses instruction to write down.

 

And the Israelites?  They are left alone for those 40 days with no word from God, and no Moses to lead them, guide them.

 

It's just them, their earrings, Moses’ sister Miriam and his brother Aaron.  So the Israelites get antsy; anxious. 

 

And what do anxious, antsy people do?  They come up with a plan to take away some of those antsy, anxious feelings.

 

However, their plan brings a new chaos into their lives and their journey to the Promised Land.

 

Perhaps God should’ve been more worried about their gold then the yeast in their bread.

 

But you know what?  As I grow older, I feel different about today’s reading.

 

Used to be a time I looked down upon the Israelites; chastised them for their impatience; accused them of being unfaithful.

 

But now that I’m no longer 20, or 30, or even 40, I have lived some things, experienced some things, done some things, so my views about the Israelites has changed.

 

Now there is space for grace.

 

As former slaves who endured great trauma, they had become too accustomed to bad things happening to good people.

 

After all that time fleeing the Pharaoh, walking between water, wandering in the dessert, perhaps the last thing they needed to experience was abandonment.

 

Perhaps the last thing they needed was zero access to God, zero access to Moses for 40 days. 

 

To go through 6 weeks of uncertainty, not knowing what was happening, or going to happen next is a lot.

 

If one dark night of the soul can seem to last forever, image what 40 days in the dessert can be like.

 

Without a word from God, or a mention from Moses, the people take matters into their own hands, and create the idea of crafting a calf.

 

There is a a sense of immediacy; a sense of being abandoned, that the people just want something, anything that can remind them they are not alone, they are not forsaken, they are not deserted. 

 

At least, unlike God, they can see this golden calf.  At least, unlike Moses, the calf can’t go up a hill.

 

So the people, just needing some assurance, wanting to somehow, some way praise and have hope and to sing and dance, eat and drink, have Aaron make an idol.

 

And once again, we can only imagine how, like in the Garden, this must’ve broken God’s heart.

 

Instead of walking in cool breezes or under starry skies, the people have turned to an image made of their own earrings….

 

But maybe, maybe if God had not been so distant, maybe if Moses had just come down from the mountain every few days, they would not have felt so abandoned, they would not have felt so alone, they would not have to turn to chaos.

 

There are at least two things we can take from today’s story.  The first, is an understanding about the Resurrection and why it is so important.

 

Today we saw what happens to God’s people when they feel abandoned or alone.  Imagine how Mary Magdelene, Mary, Peter, and all the disciples felt after Jesus was crucified.

 

Imagine how horrible and lonely that Friday and Saturday felt, how long those nights lasted. 

 

What would’ve happened to all the people following Jesus if the Resurrection had not been experienced, if there was no Good News that Christ is raised?

 

Second, we experience another answer to the question “Why?”

 

Why does St. Lucas matter?  Why do we come here to gather?  Why do we worship? 

 

Why do we faithfully give to the mission, ministry and the building that is St. Lucas?

 

Because St. Lucas is one way we get to experience God. 

 

St. Lucas is one place we get to come together after all the Red Seas and wildernesses of the week before so chaos does not take over or to take control.

 

St. Lucas is where we are reminded that we are not alone, we are not forsaken, we are not abandoned.

 

St. Lucas reminds us that God is not far away or distant or up on some hill for 40 days, but that God is right here, right now.

 

With us; besides us. 

 

Seeing us.

Hearing us.

Speaking to us.

 

Speaking with us.

 

Reminding us of who we are, and where we belong.

 

We do not need a golden calf; we do not need to break God’s heart.

 

Because here we know that Christ is resurrected;

 

God is forever present,

 

and no matter what chaos we face, no matter what Seas we walk through,

 

God is here; God is now.

 

For that, we can say “Amen.”