Today’s passage is Hannah’s prayer to the Lord which is found in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. As a reminder, Hannah’s song of praise is in response to the Lord’s answer to her many prayers for a child, and her prayer contains great prophetic messianic significance.
Earlier this week, during Bible study, Pastor Mary brought us through Luke 1. When we arrived at “The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise” (v. 46-56), I was overwhelmed by the similarities between Mary and Hannah’s Songs of Praise and their circumstances.
Both, Hannah and Mary, experienced miraculous ways of conception, each mother dedicated their son to the Lord, their sons dedicated their lives to God (even though One is God Incarnate), both women were faithful in their response to the Lord’s blessing in being a vital part of bringing Samuel and Jesus into this world; and thus, we are able to witness God’s purpose and plan revealed through Hannah and Mary.
Some people do not believe that motherhood is as important as other roles. Like, Esther saved God’s people and Deborah was a leader of God’s people, while Hannah and Mary were “simply” mothers. But these two women raised up children who were prepared by their influence to serve God and in doing so their sons fulfilled their divine role in God’s plan to liberate His people.
What can you and I learn from Hannah and Mary? There is so much, but we can start by recognizing that they were both willing servants of God, and we need are called to do the same. Also, as a result of their faithful hearts God blessed them, and He wants to bless us. God was also able to use Hannah and Mary to further His Kingdom, which is what you and I can only pray He is able to do with each of us.
1 Samuel 2:1-10 (NLT)
Hannah’s Prayer of Praise
1Then Hannah prayed:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord!
The Lord has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
I rejoice because you rescued me.
2 No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
3 “Stop acting so proud and haughty!
Don’t speak with such arrogance!
For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done;
he will judge your actions.
4 The bow of the mighty is now broken,
and those who stumbled are now strong.
5 Those who were well fed are now starving,
and those who were starving are now full.
The childless woman now has seven children,
and the woman with many children wastes away.
6 The Lord gives both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
7 The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
he brings some down and lifts others up.
8 He lifts the poor from the dust
and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord’s,
and he has set the world in order.
9 “He will protect his faithful ones,
but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.
10 Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one.”
Prayer: Jesus, please help us to be more faithful and to have servant hearts like Hannah and Mary. Please guide us with Your wisdom and grow us in our hope, peace, joy, and love so that we can have confident trust in Your call on our lives to serve the Kingdom. We ask all of this in Your Holy and Precious Name, Jesus. Amen.