Travis Reese

Dear Friends,

There is a sports term used often in culture and increasingly politics called “moving the goalposts.” It basically means that when any sort of achievement or goal is reached, a new set of parameters are given, thus nullifying whatever was achieved.

In today’s reading in 1 Samuel 1:20-28 I can’t help but think of how I would react to a prayer like the one Hannah prays.

Hannah prays to God for a son. She tells God that if God can look upon her favorably, she will give that son to the Lord.

Hannah was thought to be barren but gets pregnant, and she gives birth to Samuel. Then, she follows through with her promise to God. Her prayer was answered, and she then gave her son to the Lord.

She nurses Samuel and when it is safe for a mother to part with her child she takes him to Eli to be a servant of God. No bargaining for a little more time with him.

If it exists in the story there is no mention of Hannah thinking that she could “give” her child to the Lord but maybe keep him at home. She just accepts that her big prayer was answered and follows through.

She doesn’t try to move the goalposts.

I can’t imagine how I would handle a big prayer answered. Would I follow through? Would it change me? Would I try and tell myself that God knows what I actually meant? Would I explain away that giving up something in return for a prayer answered was like a metaphor, not really a literal promise?

Could I possibly be as strong as Hannah?

It makes me wonder if I think of Jesus as a big prayer answered. If so, do I feel convicted enough to follow through?

Jesus asks us to love our God with all our heart and mind, and then to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Do I fulfill this basic commandment?

Or do I move the goalposts?

In Christ,

—Travis