Covetousness...

I was researching the story of Hannah this morning and although I have read her story many many times, I came across a site that really made me reflect on my desires to have a child.

This is a quote from the site...

"Our lives often seem incomplete. We want something very much, and we don't seem to be able to be content without it. Some times this lack of contentment is what the Bible calls covetousness--wanting something other than what God has ordained for us. Some times, however, God is giving us a desire for something in His will, and even though we have the desire, God has not yet given us what He wants to give us."

I was taken aback by the use of the word covet. I have always been taught that the word covet was negative. I mean, it is written in one of the 10 Commandments...Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife...so I thought I should read more into what to covet means.

The dictionary describes covetous as inordinately or wrongly desirous of wealth or possessions; greedy.

The Bible dictionary describes covetousness as a strong desire after the possession of worldly things.

I think the questions that really bother me most are...is the desire for what others have wrong because that leads to attempts to steal the possessions of others, or is it rather that such desire is wrong in and of itself? Is coveting a possession the same as coveting a child? Is it wrong to have the desire to become a parent?

Another site followed up with this strong conclusion...

"It is good to ask God to take care of the problem that is making us discontent, but to do so understanding that He may have a different plan in mind. Whether He says yes or no to our request, we need patience. God will act in His own time frame, not ours. When God says yes to our requests, He does so in order for us to be better servants for Him. That means that we should be ready to offer back to Him the gift He has given to us. He gave it to us to glorify Himself, not to satisfy our selfish desires."

Therefore, I think that Hannah was right on track when she begged God time and time again to make her a mother, but only after promising that she would give back her son to God. Although she coveted the image of herself as a mother, she understood that the image would only be granted if it was God's will.