Emotional understanding. 1Samuel 1:5-8 This characteristic can be evasive to some men because most males are goal-oriented people, and the emotional side of a personality is hidden under a cloak of masculinity. To Elkanah's credit, he knew that in distress and despair, one is more conscious of the need of God. He could understand, at least in a measure, the need of his wife, Hannah. He would have heard her prayers, perhaps, or at least knew her grieving heart was because of her lack of a child. He didn't realize the depth of her spirituality because he thought she wanted a child for her own sake. That was doubtless part of her concern, but her real desire was for a son to give to the Lord for his life to be lived for the Lord and to guide the Lord's people back from the "dark paths of sin." She had to share her husband with a woman who ridiculed her. Even though her husband loved her, he could not solve the problem.
He was a simple man, living a simple life in the old days, who didn't do everything right. He didn't seem much like a man of faith but more like one who lived reacting to circumstances that arose that he couldn’t avoid. However, he knew in his heart that the things he must do were important for the sake of his family. God had a claim on this man, and whatever he was, his wives and his children all knew they needed his leadership and practical guidance. Each of them needed to understand that what God said in His word wasn't a choice they could make; God's word was an authoritative command. To meet at the place chosen by God alone and at the time God Himself did decree wasn’t up to them to decide. He would meet His chosen people there, and they could see His glory there.
In learning from this man, we understand the value of encouraging our wives even though we cannot solve all her problems. We must love our wives despite social criticism, accept their difficulties as our own, and take that burden from them as much as possible. Our families are important to God, and what they do affects our credibility as parents, even though we cannot make them be what we might want or expect of them. We can take them to the house of the Lord even though things may not be there what we know they should be. Take our families anyway because there are impressions created in them when they are young that they will not forget no matter how far they may stray.
The importance of God in a person's life is usually instilled in our children when they are young. Another lesson for us is that ignorance of a problem is not an excuse for being insensitive to the feelings and needs of others, especially our spouse. Linked with that, in a way, is that jealousy is not an excuse for bad behavior. "Jealousy is as cruel as the grave" and has a negative effect that reaches farther than expected. An encouraging lesson to learn, even from this dysfunctional family, is that God will work in families and individuals in families despite problems in the home life. God is a sovereign God, even when there is failure, despair, and defeat all around us, and He can bring good from the place we least expect it.
Family life is not always easy; sometimes, complications are difficult to deal with. In times like that, parents are often seen bowed low on their knees. Rebellious and wayward children look with shame-filled eyes and then walk away fully conscious that their parents are supplicating and making intercession for them whenever they pray. If or when they continue to reject God and His interest in their salvation, hopefully, their conscience will stop them from doing what is wrong, and they will repent of their sin. God, in grace, reaches out to them in distant places farther than our voices can, bringing back to their memories and consciences the long-hidden truths their parents taught them.
We will know the results of prayer when the day of recompense before God comes. The results of parents' prayers and their influence of life and labor on daughters and sons will be known then. Even though these days are evil in the world and in churches, truths that were once held are gone; hopefully, there will have been enough reality seen that an awakened conscience will tell one who had turned away that God in great mercy, still in love and grace yet awaits the prodigal who will return. If there is genuine repentance and simple childlike faith in Christ, they will find that God still offers salvation full, sufficient, and free. They saw that reality first in their parents' lives when they bowed low on their knees.