Living Our Days Out In Obedience: Like Hannah

1 Samuel 1:10: The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.

We hear Hannah’s deep anguish and desperation for a child, as she was barren and taunted by her rival wife Peninnah. She poured out her soul to the Lord in the temple, hoping that He would hear her cry and grant her request.

Hannah was a woman who longed for a child but was barren. She made a vow to God that if he would give her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service. God answered her prayer and gave her Samuel, who became a great prophet and judge of Israel.

Hannah’s promises and prayers to God are exhibited by Hannah’s faith and dedication to the Lord, as she made a solemn vow to consecrate her son to Him if He would bless her with one. She promised to give him up as a Nazirite, a person who was set apart for God’s service and had to follow certain rules, such as not cutting their hair or drinking wine.

1 Samuel 1:11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

Hannah expressed from her heart and mouth how she would fulfill a vow should the LORD grant it, that she will dedicate the child unto the LORD for service to Him.

1 Samuel 1:26-27: And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord.  For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

We see Hannah’s gratitude and sense of loyalty, as she brought her son Samuel to the temple to present him to the Lord and to the priest Eli, who had blessed her before. She testified to God’s faithfulness and goodness in answering her prayer and giving her a son.

1 Samuel 1:28: So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah’s obedience and sacrifice is prolific as recorded in 1 Samuel, especially when she fulfilled her vow and gave her son to the Lord’s service. She did not hold back her love or attachment, but willingly offered him to God, knowing that he belonged to Him. She also worshiped the Lord with joy and reverence, acknowledging His sovereignty and grace.

 1 Samuel 2:6: The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

We see Hannah’s recognition of God’s sovereignty and power over life and death. She acknowledges that God is the source of life and the one who can raise the dead, as he did for her son Samuel, who was born after she had given up hope.

1 Samuel 2:9: He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

The verse in 1 Samuel 2:9– affirms Hannah’s trust in God’s protection and justice for His people. She declares that God will guard the steps of His faithful ones and silence the wicked in their doom. She also asserts that human strength is nothing compared to God’s power, and that no one can succeed against Him.

1 Samuel 2:10: “The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

We see the conclusion of Hannah’s prayer with a prophetic vision of God’s future reign over the world. She foresees that God will shatter His enemies with His voice and judge all nations with His righteousness. She also anticipates that God will establish a king in Israel, and exalt His anointed One, a reference to the Messiah, who would come from the line of David, Samuel’s successor.

Hannah was a special and compassionate woman with deep faith and love of the LORD, and her promise to God was fulfilled as she vowed. Her dedication and obedience to the LORD is one in which we all should seek to emulate.

Those of faith who follow and observe their days in complete alignment with His Word will undoubtedly live a life that is filled with meaning and clarity in all their paths, and truly be a life worth living.

Do you readily pray to the LORD and dedicate your life to His will and ways? How does Hannah’s prayer and trust factor into the times in which we currently live? 

“Father, thank You for Your Word and promises, may I aspire to be all that I can be under Your wings of love and guidance, may Your word ring in my heart body soul and mind continuously, may Your light be my guide in the darkness, and may Your voice be the one I hear all the days of my life, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”