I’m still pondering on the request Hannah gave God to remember (to mark, as to be recognized). I need to mark things in my mind in order to remember – mark a page or favorite passage in a book or the Bible, look at someone’s face for marks or something that distinguishes them, mark a path…my calendar is full of appointments marked and circled, complete with arrows for changes! There are many ways we mark things in order to remember, to get our attention at a needed time. Some teens write on their hands. Older ones may put a string around their finger (“but I forgot what it was for!”) The Almighty God never forgets. We never need to work at getting His attention, unlike many of the “gods” on earth who require sacrificial acts etc. in order to gain an audience or favor.
On the contrary and sadly enough, He needs to get MY attention at times, generally in marked ways. In fact, He often reminds us to remember in specific ways because He knows we’re a forgetful people. So He establishes times and seasons, or landmarks, or feasts and festivals to stop and remember the Hebrews deliverance, or even the Lord’s Supper to be shared in remembrance of Him and His works and deliverance on our behalf.
So………how does He mark us? He remembered Hannah, and when He did it was truly marked-ly, with a growing womb as a daily reminder! (And she then marked her son, calling him “Asked of God” – Samuel. Marked with God’s own name (“el”) within his own) So does God place a bookmark on the story of our lives, thus marking time from the request to the fulfillment? Is it for the onlookers in heaven to note? Are we marked more in the image of His Son? Is there something in the spiritual realm that takes place as faith is embraced that marks us so that even the demons “recognize” us ? Does He record something in a book somewhere?
Lots of questions. It is obvious that once Hannah knew she was heard, there was a remarkable difference in her countenance (“her countenance was no longer sad”). She was heard!!! God marks His own in ways we cannot always see or comprehend, but when we embrace it by faith, we too can mark it. Record it. And remark about it to others. And watch the hands of time continue as the Hand of God works on our behalf. There is so much I do not know. But of this there is no doubt and it is such a comfort and assurance to know, really know, that I am heard and not forgotten. During those times when I have no words to speak, but can only bring my weary heart and ongoing concerns to Him, I know He hears, He never forgets, He marks my requests and times with Him. And one day it will be evident. Mark my words – or, rather, His!!