IT IS probably with some reluctance that the woman of the twenty first century would accept her role in the home as being crucial to the health and happiness of that home. So often the role of the woman is abrogated due to a career that takes precedence or some social interest or activity that seems to give prestige and value to the stay-at-home mum. Too often, in affluent homes, children are left to maids with only a peripheral influence from parents.

After my retirement I have learnt to appreciate more fully the role of the stay-at-home wife and mother. It is easy for such women to let themselves "go" and to neglect their mental and spiritual development. They may also get unduly involved in a social whirl and even in church work…anything to take them away from home.

I have found the story of Hannah one that has much to teach us about this special role of the wife and mother. Her day begins at six in the morning and may go on to ten or eleven at night. It is by no means an easy task and it needs tremendous energy and saintly patience. The modern woman must be careful that she does not jeopardize her role in the home just because she has a career or because she can afford a maid. More importantly, as Christian women we need to look at what we are called to be in the home.

When we read 1 Samuel chapter 1, we see here a very human situation of jealousy, unfair criticism (v.6) and love (v.5). Many of us can empathize with Hannah as she is belittled, made to feel "lesser" and humiliated just because she has not had a child. We can feel her pain and ask ourselves how often we too, as women, have been criticized unfairly for something which is really not our fault. Criticism is a very common feature in the home and so often it is the cause of deep hurt and unhappiness. Have you as a woman been criticized for meals that are not tasty or a home that does not have sufficient space? Have you been the victim of insufficient money in the home yet expected to provide sufficiently with the barest minimum?

Let us look at what Hannah did. She was angry and almost bitter. She threw a tantrum. Does this sound familiar? But through it all she took her pain to the Lord in prayer. She wrestled with her God and entered into covenant relationship with Him, something we so often fail to do. She went to the One who understood and although we are told that Elkanah loved her dearly, he loved her as only a man could. She went to her God who loved her as her Creator. She could unburden her pain before Him as she could not before her husband or priest. Eli did not understand the depth of her relationship with God and thought she was drunk (v.12-16). That covenant relationship led her into a deep communion with her God. She reached a level of communion that gave her the comfort she needed. Do we go to God in the same way? That is something very beautiful and moving here. We are told that after her communion with God she was able to eat and she stopped wrestling. Her physical composure and happiness was restored although she did not know yet that she was to become a mother. She had gained the comfort of "casting all her cares upon Him" and she knew He cared for her (1 Peter 5:7).

Do we take the things that worry and trouble us as women in the home to our God and lay them at His feet? There would be less hypertension among women and no harsh retaliation when criticized if we react as Hannah did. She took her trouble to God and let Him deal with it. Her commitment was complete.

In the child Samuel we see the action of a loving and caring Father who never lets us down. He not only gave Hannah her heart’s desire. We are told that Hannah had three sons and two daughters after Samuel (2:21). Let us learn from this simple woman what that commitment involved. It meant keeping the promise she had made and taking this precious, longed for son to the Temple when he was old enough and leaving him there. "Samuel" means "I asked the Lord for him" (1:20). A difficult promise to keep but remembered all the same. Do we make promises to God when we are in desperate situations and then conveniently forget them? Not Hannah.

We need to emulate this woman who not only bore the son she longed for but gave to the people of Israel a leader and prophet who was a godly example to many and a blessing to Eli and the nation. Godly women have throughout history left children who have been a blessing to the world.

Hannah knew her God in a very deep and personal way and that is why her song of praise in chapter 3 is echoed by the mother of our Lord Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. She says: "The Lord is a God who knows and by Him deeds are weighed" (2:3b). When we turn over our many responsibilities as wife and mother to the Lord, He takes control and we will be able to learn with Hannah, this important lesson that "it is not by strength that one prevails: those who oppose the Lord will be shattered (2:9b)."