She Persisted...

Women have certainly persisted since the beginning of time.

The song from 1 Samuel reflects the persistence of Hannah, a barren woman taunted by the other wives, who prayed so intensely in the temple for a child that the priest accused her of being drunk. She persisted.

She became pregnant and gave birth to Samuel who would become God's voice to King David.

The question for Advent may be "can we persist?" A part of that question for this writer is what our churches would have looked like if all the people who left because they were dissatisfied with rules over service, hate over love, conflict over community, etc., if all those people had stayed and changed God's church.

Anyone who has been given credit for changing the world has persisted. We persist in this recitation of judgment and hope, of ultimate restoration.

May it change us and may we change the world.

Persist!


1 Samuel 2:1b-10

“My heart exults in the Lord;
    my strength is exalted in my God.[a]
My mouth derides my enemies,
    because I rejoice in my[b] victory.

2 “There is no Holy One like the Lord,
    no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so very proudly,
    let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
    and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty are broken,
    but the feeble gird on strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
    but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven,
    but she who has many children is forlorn.
6 The Lord kills and brings to life;
    he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
    he brings low, he also exalts.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust;
    he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
    and inherit a seat of honor.[c]
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
    and on them he has set the world.

9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
    but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness;
    for not by might does one prevail.
10 The Lord! His adversaries shall be shattered;
    the Most High[d] will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
    he will give strength to his king,
    and exalt the power of his anointed.”