November 27 This grand narrative that will introduce us to David begins with a very human story of a family that, like Rachel and Leah, Hagar and Sarah, is outwardly pious but internally suffering. Hannah’s pain and waiting and longing, expressed to God, are a reminder that as Buechner put it: “If indeed there is a God and if indeed he is concerned with the world… one of the ways he speaks to us, and maybe one of the most powerful ways, is through what happens to us.”  Hannah’s prayer is answered as she gives birth to Samuel who will eventually navigate Israel’s transition to a theocracy marked by kings who are portrayed as fully human, filled with longings, doubts and faith.