Friday... People can be so cruel but God is so good.

Friday... People can be so cruel but God is so good. This comes out in the book of 1 Samuel in the OT of the Bible.

In chapter 1 verse 2 (NLT) it says, "Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not." At first sight it is so easy to say that it is God who is being cruel. Why would he allow this to happen?

Verses 6&7 says, "So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. Year after year it was the same-Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat."

And then the man steps in as we so many times do. Verse 8, "'Why aren't you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me-isn't that better than having ten sons?" Way to go, Elkanah. But he just didn't get it. And we do the same so many times. In trying to help we just say the wrong thing and it can be so cruel.

Verse 12-14 (GNB), "Hannah continued to pray to the Lord for a long time, and Eli" who was the priest "watched her lips. She was praying silently; her lips were moving, but she made no sound. So Eli thought she was drunk, and said to her, 'Stop making a drunken show of yourself! Stop your drinking and sober up!' 'No, I'm not drunk, sir,' she answered, I haven't been drinking! I am desperate, and I have been praying, pouring out my troubles to the Lord. Don't think I am a worthless woman. I have been praying like this because I am so miserable.'"

And then verse 19 says, "When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, "I asked the Lord for him."

We can be so cruel as we look at people and judge them, even trying to encourage them and then when things don't go the way we want them to go we even think God is cruel and we say it. During this time that we are going through right now may we really be careful in what we say. May we really encourage each other and may our words also show that we trust God. Please may we think before we react and speak.

By the way, Samuel was a prophet, priest and judge, and he had a great deal of influence throughout this time period. God knew what he was doing. And he also does today. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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