Come and Fill Me with your Peace

The tottering gird on strength. 

In scripture,  psalm give us before and after snapshots of Hannah that can help us understand how dramatically God changed her heart—she went from weeping bitterly to joyfully proclaiming God’s faithfulness.   But what happened in between?   Hannah tells us herself: “The tottering [unstable] gird on [are clothed in] strength”—strength from God.

“That’s easy for Hannah to say,” we might think.   “God answered her prayer.”   It’s true: God gave Hannah a son after years of childlessness.   But look carefully, and you’ll see that Hannah changed before she conceived Samuel.   After a few words from Eli, Hannah’s despair began to lift, and she could eat and drink again.   The next morning, she returned to worship with her husband, free from grief.   God had girded her with his strength even while she waited for the answer to her prayer.

What a hopeful image for us!   We all have times of “tottering,” when our faith feels weak.   But just as with Hannah, God stands ready to strengthen us and steady us with his peace.   All he asks is that we lean on him and let him fill us with his grace.   Perhaps Hannah can show us the way.

First, Hannah persevered.   Year after barren year, she went with her husband to offer sacrifice and beg the Lord for a child.   Like Hannah, we can persevere in seeking the Lord and his strength—even when we question whether anything will come of it.   We can believe that his grace is girding us, even when we don’t feel it.

Second, Hannah was honest with God.   She didn’t bury her anxiety and put on a pious show.   She poured out her complaint and admitted her unhappiness.   What does this teach us?   Just like Hannah, we can feel free to tell God exactly how we are feeling.   He won’t be surprised or put off.   He sees it all anyway!   He may not always grant our requests, but he will always give us his peace.   And God’s peace will give us the strength to trust him, even in our challenges.

So bring Jesus your concerns, your doubts, and your fears. Persevere, and be honest with him.   Let him tell you what Eli told Hannah: “Go in peace”.

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