Wednesday Devotional 6/24/2020
Hannah’s Prayer of Thanks – 1 Samuel 2:1-10
Good Morning Church Family!
Last week we saw how earnestly Hannah prayed to God for a child (1 Sam 1:9f), and how God intervened through one of Israel’s weakest and least significant individuals- a rural, barren woman named Hannah (1:1-20). We read of her trust in the Lord, making her an object lesson demonstrating the Lord’s awesome power to bless anyone who possesses risk – taking faith in Him.
Today we focus on another important side of Hannah (2:1-10), A prayer of Faith, that is expressed as a poetic hymn. It contains Hannah’s last recorded words and her longest quotation (112 words), provides a triumphant climax of the humble woman’s faith.
Lessons to Learn:
- She has an unshakable trust in God’s power (1:27; 2:1-10).
- The song eloquently affirms core concepts of Israelite faith.
- The Lord is the great judge and overseer of human destinies and a rewarder of those who earnestly seek him. (Heb 11:6)
- He is the source of empowerment and victory for those who fear him but for all the others he is the overpowering authority who dispenses fearful judgments. (2:3)
- She also highlights the fact that the issues of life and death are in His hand, that He has the capacity to make poor and make rich. (2:8)
- Again drawing on her own experience she reveals her conviction that “The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces … and He shall give strength unto His king and exalt the horn of His anointed” 1Sam.2.10.
- A very useful comparison can be drawn between the song of Hannah and the declaration of Mary, “the mother of Jesus” Jn.2.2. Hannah’s experience was to “rejoice in Thy salvation” 1Sam.2.1 while Mary “rejoiced in God my Savior” Lk.2.47. Other comparisons would be appropriate and profitable; these all confirm her true spiritual stature.
Something to Explore :
- Notice the word “rock” and “Holy” – (Explore) – Lev10:3, 11:44, Deut 32:4, 15, 18, 30.
- Vs 6-10 contain an extended list of contrastive actions the Lord performs in his dealing with humans. Can you find them? Ex – “makes alive” (6)
- Try mapping out a poem like Hannah’s in your own words, what God has done in your life?