1 Samuel "A Change is Coming"

"And there came a man of God unto Eli...."  "The barrenness of Hannah is symbolic, coming at the beginning of this book, because it illustrates the spiritual state of Israel." But now..."A Change is Coming"  a man of God steps onto the scene.  Though the text doesn't address this...you have to ask yourself....WHY...HOW...WHY NOW?  What is bringing about this change?   I believe that things had gotten so bad spiritually for the children of Israel that they finally began to cry out to God...just like Hannah did.   Why do we wait till it gets unbearable before we cry out? God has a way to get us to pray....to cry out for change. Did you know that Hannah's names means "Gracious" and Peninah means, "Pearl".  When we think about a pearl we often think of something of great value, but before a pearl becomes something of great value, it first is an irritant that is lodge itself into the body of an oyster, causing the oyster to produce nacre that encases the irritant until that thing that irritated it turns into something of great value.   Think of this:  You used to go to work, walk in, go to your desk, go about your day, but now you have a supervisor who is mistreating you.  Now, you go to work and before you get out of the car, you sit in the parking lot and begin to pray, why, because you are about to face Peninah.  That Peninah has irritated you, that person, that situation has been aggravating you....causing you and me to produce spiritual "nacre", because we desire a change. The irritation for the children of Israel is Eli, Hophni and Phinehas...for the things they are doing or should be doing.  I believe, like Hannah, that the people have become so sick about their spiritual condition that they begin to pray.  And when God cleans house...He starts at the house of God. 2 Chron 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.  Father, I'm not a priest, but You have called me a saint because I have been made righteous because of Jesus.  Help, me to see things from Your perspective and to continue to raise the standard of holiness in my life, and to quickly seek Your face when there a change needs to be made in my life...or in the life of someone You have placed in my life.  Help me to remember that You honor those who honor You above all things. In Jesus name, Amen. Standing in Him, Sharon