"As she was praying to the Lord Eli watched her...He thought she had been drinking."
1 Samuel 1:12,13
"People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
1 Samuel 16:7
Hannah. How big is her God? Big. She cries in anguish and prays to her awesome omnipotent God, knowing He will answer. He will hear her cry - and that is all that matters to this sweet, sincere woman of faith. This prayerful plea recorded in 1 Samuel is meant for no ones ears apart from her God.
So this little description of Eli, "he thought she...," in 1 Samuel causes me to pause and reflect. How many times has my heart fearlessly reached out to seek and follow God's will, and my actions have been gravely misinterpreted by an "Eli?" Even more difficult is the question I ask of myself, "Have I been an "Eli?" Have I allowed a first impression of someone's situation to alter my thinking of them and what God may be doing in his or her life? Am I guilty of judging an outward circumstance and thinking, "I think he/she........."
1 Samuel continues with the story of a boy named David. Saul has his own first impressions. Saul thought David was too young, unequipped for battle. "There's no way." (1 Samuel 17:33)
But like Hannah, David's God was bigger. He did not allow the doubts of a Saul to cause him to question the trust in His God to provide. His outward appearance deemed unworthy. His heart portrayed the complete opposite. And just like Hannah, David did not allow concerns of appearances to deter him from his heart mission.
God I pray that I would love and not judge. You are doing miracles (providing children and slaying giants) everyday in people and my job is to be a part of this. Forgive me for judging when I need to be praying. Thank you for forgiveness. Thank you for working in hearts. Thank you for working in mine.
