ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 

SIULAI 11, 2023

שפך An Outpouring of Soul

Ko e laumalie kuo lilingi

1 SAMUEL 1:14-15

AND ELI SAID TO HER, "HOW LONG WILL YOU GO ON BEING DRUNK? PUT YOUR WINE AWAY FROM YOU." BUT HANNAH ANSWERED, "NO, MY LORD, I AM A WOMAN TROUBLED IN SPIRIT. I HAVE DRUNK NEITHER WINE NOR STRONG DRINK, BUT I HAVE BEEN POURING OUT MY SOUL BEFORE THE LORD."

1 SAMUEL 1:14-15

14 Pea lea ‘a ‘Īlai ki ai, ‘E ‘osi ‘afē ho‘o tuku ke hā ho‘o konā? fai ha me‘a ke mole ‘a e uaine meiate koe.

15 Pea tali ‘e ‘Ana, ‘o ne pehē, ‘Oku ‘ikai pehē, Tangata‘eiki; ko e fefine loto mafasia au: kuo ‘ikai te u inu ha uaine, pe ha kava mālohi, ka ko ‘eku lilingi hoku loto ‘i he ‘ao ‘o Sihova.

Hannah couldn't catch a break. Her cowife mocked Hannah's childlessness. Her obtuse husband argued that he was better to her than ten sons. And now her priest accused her of being liquored up! But she hadn't been pouring drinks. Rather, she "shafak ['poured out'] her soul before the LORD." Shafak, a word borrowed from the temple, is used for pouring out the blood of sacrifice (e.g., Lev. 4:7). Job's soul is shafak within him (30:16) as the psalmist shafak his heart before God (62:8). Paul, in Hebrew fashion, says, "I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come" (2 Tim. 4:6).

The Messiah says, "I am shafak like water" (Ps. 22:14). Indeed, at his death, water will pour from his side, along with blood (John 19:34). This is the blood "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matt. 26:28)- the blood that, having purified us, gives us confidence to cry out to God andknow we are heard.

O God, our refuge, as we pour out our complaint before you, hear and answer us (Ps. 142:2).