No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. I Samuel 2:2 NKJV
We likely remember the Bible story of Samuel, the little lad who, when he heard God calling his name in the middle of the night, responded, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” (3:10). Still, we may not recall how his mother Hannah prayed for a son, promising him for priestly service in the tabernacle. God answered her prayer, and when he was weaned, she fulfilled her vow, delivering him to the priest. Hannah then worships God with the song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10:
My heart rejoices in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in the Lord.
I smile at my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
No one is holy like the Lord,
For there is none besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God. (v.1-2)
At a time when her heart was indeed breaking, leaving behind her two-year-old son, knowing she would miss all those day-to-day moments of development, she rejoiced. So grateful was she in this moment that she could even smile upon her enemies–likely Peninnah, the mean-girl second wife of her husband, Elkanah. Knowing she would continue to watch Pennah’s children growing around her while absent from her son, she can still rejoice.
She knows there is but one Holy and Mighty God. The God of her forefathers answered her prayer, and he remains the unshakeable foundation of her faith. While she undoubtedly was saddened, only getting to see her son once a year when they went to worship, she was confident in God’s plans for Samuel.
Here are three takeaways from Hannah’s story.
Pray with humility and passion. Hannah pours out her soul before the Lord (1:15).
Fulfill our vows. The promises we make to God, no matter how difficult, must be kept.
Rejoice! Give thanks at all times, even when our hearts are breaking. Praise God for what he’s done, what he’s doing, and what he’s about to do.
God, help us to be more like Hannah. To pour out our souls before you earnestly, passionately, and truthfully. To be faithful to our promises and to give thanks in every situation. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
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