Hannah’s Prayer
1 Samuel 2:1 Then Hannah prayed and said:My heart rejoices in the Lord;in the Lord my horn[a] is lifted high.My mouth boasts over my enemies,for I delight in your deliverance.There is no one holy like the Lord;there is no one besides you;there is no Rock like our God.
Do not keep talking so proudlyor let your mouth speak such arrogance,for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.“The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world.He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.“It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the Lord will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven; the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.“He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
Hanna went through very tough times since she had no children.
Her story is one the great stories mentioned in the Bible since it is very inspirational to trust and believe God in the middle of our frustration.
Like Sarah, who was visited by God in her old days, Hanna was also visited when all hope looked to be gone.
But she did not give up hope on her Savior and Lord, even if everyone was telling her to give up.
Her husband tried to comfort her by saying it is ok even if there is no child God gave them, he is much better than 10 children for her.
Even if his words were a little bit comforting to her, she did not stop from present her pain and innermost desire to have her own baby to kiss and hug even for a while.
Her husband had another wife and other children, but none from Hanna.
Out of this long time prayer and the desire to have a baby, she promised God that if He gives her one, she will give it back to him.
Let’s ask ourselves, how many times we pray to God when we are in big trouble and when God solved our issues and we don’t even go to church any more?
As we learn from the story of Hanna , we need to honor the word we give to God after we got what we want.
Hanna honored her word and give him to God after the baby stopped breastfeeding.
God took him and raised him to be one of the great leaders that he led nations to walk with God and honor him with their lives.
Hanna also put her experience with God in a prayerful song. I believe it is so powerful that it would be a lesson for all of us.
She said:
1. I am pleased with God's Salvation
How many of us are happy with the Salvation we have through our Lord Jesus Christ.
He is indeed the Horn of our salvation. Jesus took away the wrath of God that was placed on us and waited for our destruction. Jesus intervened just befo
e we are about to be doomed. Because of him we are now sons and children of God and not enemies. I encourage you to worship and magnify his name for God's way of Salvation
2. God is righteous.
You would not hear this kind of prayer from most of the people who had gone through bad times.
Many have abandoned the way, the truth, since they thought God is not listening to them.
Many also give up just before the visitation of God.
But Hanna knew that she would be visited by God if she kept going.
Even if some who mistakenly disrespect her and calling her names. Eli has called her drunk.
3. We should not be boastful and proud of the things we have and say bad words to others
The reason being there is nothing that stays the same in this world. Everything changes.
The strong will be weak. The weak will be strong. The poor will be satisfied. The barren has now many children and she that gives birth can do no more.
All because of the visitation of the Lord.
4. Men shall not win by the might of his strength, but only by the Spirit of God
The battle is not always for the fast and swift. Only God has the final saying on our destiny.
5. Be in Sync with God. Honor him with whatever you do. Don't be against his will.
That is the best place you want to be - his will in your life where there is abundance of grace and resources that will last a life long.
God bless you for reading this blog. I hope God teaches us a great lesson from the life of his servant, Hanna.
May God bless you.