Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Samuel 1:7 (New Living Translation)

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.

Peninnah and Hannah were wives of Elkanah of Ramah. Elkanah brought his wives and children to Shiloh once a year for special sacrifices of worship.

Did Peninnah and Hannah use the occasion to worship? Perhaps, but we find in the verse that Peninnah used it to taunt her fellow wife. And we find that Hannah used the time to weep.

Peninnah gloated because of God’s blessings. Hannah wept because of God’s blessings (not having children for a while is also a blessing). Neither seemed to do much worshiping.

Here I sit mulling these actions and criticizing them with a few thousand years of hindsight and perspective. How well do I worship? Do I spend my time worshiping or doing something else like gloating, weeping, or just about anything else? How do I regard the blessings from God?

Sorry; no answers. Just a few questions for consideration.