More of Hannah’s story that we started yesterday.

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The tent of meeting was a big enclosure. You could stand by the entrance and see the altar, and see the Holy of Holies, a tent that represented the presence of God.

Hannah stood near the entrance and in her anguish, she prayed. All the pain, all the feelings. She talked to God. She poured out her soul.

After a bit of confusion, Eli, the priest, says “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

And she goes, with a sense of having been heard.

And she has a baby that year, a baby that would eventually take Eli’s place.

Deep pain, deep prayer, an affirming response, a return to the table.

There is no evidence that the teasing stopped. But Hannah felt heard by God.

Before we move on, I have a suggestion for this Thanksgiving. Before getting to the table of expectations, where some of us are afraid that someone will ask us what we are thankful for and we will struggle to know how to answer, may I suggest that we spend some time with God saying, “I hurt. I’m not sure how you’ve blessed me this year. Can we talk?”

The deaths, the accidents, the illness, the changes, the lack of changes. Hannah’s willingness to talk to the one who hadn’t blessed her in the one way that she wanted to be blessed is a powerful model.

And Eli’s ultimate response is a good example, too. He didn’t get involved in family counseling. He didn’t give her tools or techniques for living. He simply prayed a blessing.

“Go in peace. May God give you what you asked.”

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I’m talking more about anticipating Thanksgiving at “Finding words in hard times” this week. Please subscribe.