Burger Season

 June 5, 2024

“But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her" 
~ 1 Samuel 1:5

The summer months have arrived and we’re all about to consume more backyard burgers than we bargained for! It’s all good — burgers are a staple of American social life and summer life.

I have opinions about burgers and I’m sure you do too. On our little local vacation Paul and I finally made it to the California-turned-Idaho IN-N-OUT Burgers in Meridian. Our family tribe  grabbed our boxes of burgers and walked over to enjoy them outdoors seated near the fountain in The Village. 

Now, IN-N-OUT has its place: nostalgia for some, budget friendly for others, and still others wouldn’t dream of going solo — it’s a social experience. It might not be your fav, but I would guess that you do have a favorite hamburger place, whether it’s a chain or a little drive-in — and if you really want a burger to savor — you know where you want to go!

My favorite burger on our end of the valley is actually at our local Japanese restaurant, Ogawas. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some rice bowls too, but I think their burgers are perfection. They use relatively thin, but large patties with crispy edges that extend beyond the border of the not-too-lofty bun (which eliminates the side-of-mouth ache in trying to open up too wide). And the accompanying fries are pretty good too. It’s a strange favorite burger place, but it’s mine. 

When our kids were little, the economic choices for our family were pretty much Wendy’s and Burger King.  I mean, we weren’t wealthy, but we didn’t have to resort to McDonalds.

Years later when our kids were still home, but grown, we hosted a young adults group called 18-28 in our home on Sunday nights. Paul considered it his favorite teaching time of the week. Coincidentally, McDonalds happened to be offering $.39 Sunday Cheeseburgers during that era, so after the Bible study dozens of young adults would toss all available loose change into a pile on the floor (along with anything found in my couch cushions). One or two guys would head over to McDs to pick up as many cheeseburgers as the cash pile could procure. 

On occasion, there would be an extra and someone would extend it in front of me with an 18yo smile and say, “Here Mrs. L, we brought you a cheeseburger”. What is one to do in that situation except smile back and say ‘thank you’?

There is a woman in the Bible that had her heart set on something important and basically had a couple of cheeseburgers extended to her. Well, it wasn’t exactly that way, but the beginning of 1 Samuel introduces us to Hannah, who had one craving in life, she desired to have a child. Her husband loved her, he knew her lack, he understood that she was barren, but the best he could come up with to encourage her was to offer her more cheeseburgers than he gave to the others. 

Actually here is what the text tells us: “On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.” (1 Samuel 1:4-5)

There was no possible way that Elkanah could have fixed Hannah’s problem — only God could meet her need. The best he could do was to offer love and support his own way, albeit in a somewhat awkward way.  

When we have an ache in our hearts because something important is lacking in our life, or we are grieving a significant loss, people’s gestures of love and affirmation can fall short, but the point is they are gestures of love and affirmation, and they do have significant meaning and even healing properties! 

We’ll take a deeper look at Hannah’s life next week, but for this short devotion, our main point is don’t expect people around you to be God — they are not — they cannot fix what is wrong! Most of them are doing the best they can by offering love and support in whatever way they are able and sometimes we just need to soak in all of those acts of love a bit more. 

Proverbs 27:9 (NLV) says “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so are a man’s words sweet to his friend.”

Whether you need to be the giver of a double portion right now, or more graciously receive the double portion — there is probably a message for all of us in Elkanah’s actions.

How does this relate to me? Well, I have truly received a mountain of encouragement from all  who have said, and done, and sent, and offered, and prayed their support my direction. I want to thank all of you and I want you to know that every single gesture is meaningful and healing, even if it doesn’t fix my core problem.

So, if a friend shows up at your door this week with two cheeseburgers — just smile, thank them, feel the love and invite them in — but if you see yellow arches on the wrapper, you don’t have to eat them! 

My Love,

Sue

sue@ccontario.com