“My heart exults in Adonai!
My dignity has been restored by Adonai!
I can gloat over my enemies,
because of my joy at your saving me.”
-1 Samuel 2:1
Have you ever felt down in the dumps because of your situation in life?
Maybe you experienced the terror of social ostracism that Hannah did because she was a married woman with no children…
Or maybe you worry about becoming poverty-stricken in your old age with neither children nor husband to take care of you which was the nightmare Naomi faced in the book of Ruth.
Maybe you’re about to lose your job and are terrified because you have no idea how you’re gonna pay your rent if that happens…
Or maybe you’ve got a crushing amount of credit card debt including student loans and you have no idea how you’ll ever be able to pay it all off…
Whatever challenge you’re facing…
There’s one thing I want you to know.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Every great saint and hero in the Bible went through similar trials and tribulations that broke their spirits and almost caused them to lose their faith.
EVERY ONE WITHOUT EXCEPTION…
Think of the young David on the run from King Saul who was after his life…
Think of Moses and the Israelites standing in front of the not yet parted Red Sea when the Egyptian Army was bearing down on them with full force.
Think of Yeshua sweating drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane when he begged his Father…“if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done”.
Every one of these Biblical heroes went through the same kind of heart-wrenching experiences that seem to be part and parcel of a believer’s journey with the God of Israel.
Now Hannah’s prayer which kicks off chapter 2 of 1 Samuel has been characterized as a Psalm of Thanksgiving.
And rightly so.
There are similarities to this prayer and the highly emotional Psalms that King David wrote.
Hannah expresses her joy and gratitude for being delivered from her affliction.
And like David, she speaks of the unrivaled holiness and nature of God in such a beautiful and profound way.
But here’s the thing.
The only reason her prayer of joy and gratitude is so powerful is BECAUSE OF THE AFFLICTION SHE WENT THROUGH.
In this sense, Hannah’s experience is similar to Job’s.
For reasons unknown, Job suffered great affliction…
And for reasons unknown, he was delivered and received great mercies and blessings.
And so it was with Hannah.
Here’s another truth that’s difficult for a lot of folks to accept…
The affliction you’re going through could be very well be the Lord’s Will for you at the moment.
I know a lot of people hate hearing that…
Especially the modern gentile church that says the Father would never afflict us and we can ONLY expect blessings and mercy from His hand.
That idea is just not Biblical folks.
And I’m afraid such a teaching causes many to lose faith when disaster does strike in their lives…
Because they’ve been taught the opposite…
That a loving Father in heaven would never allow bad things to happen in their lives.
Especially when they feel like they’ve been faithful in their walk with the Lord.
I feel compelled to bring this up so that you won’t become depressed because of less than favorable circumstances in your life at the moment…
Or lose heart if some tragedy strikes you in the future.
Because if you can understand the sovereignty of God…
Then you can learn to become joyful under any circumstances.
Think about it.
If the tragedy or pain you’re experiencing in your life is God’s Will, is there any other place you’d rather be?
If you could shift you’re perspective a bit, you could view your challenges as an exciting part of your journey with the Lord until you’re taken up to heaven…
Kind of like the exciting twists and turns you experience when you’re on a thrilling roller coaster ride.
You know it’s really a shame the gentile church isn’t more familiar with Hannah’s Prayer.
They don’t know about it because it’s buried deep within the “Old” Testament which they have declared dead and gone and irrelevant to their lives.
However, as I mentioned a couple of days ago, in Judaism this prayer is on the same level of importance as the SHEMA and the 10 Commandments.
It really is considered that foundational and paramount.
To close, you know there’s another key reason why the gentile church should perk up and start to pay more attention to this prayer.
Just as David’s Psalms are, the Song of Hannah is BOTH Messianic and prophetic.
That’s right homeroos!
In fact, and this is gonna blow your freakin’ mind, the Song of Hannah has become the model for some key New Testament passages!!!
I betcha you didn’t know that now, did you?!
Did you?!?!
Yup!
It’s true.
In some cases parts of Hannah’s prayer are paraphrased in the New Testament…
In other cases, parts of her prayer are directly quoted word for word.
So you’re in for a real treat that’s gonna take your faith to a whole new level.
Alrighty, see you next time.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing
of your faith produces perseverance.”
-James 1:2-3
“I am not saying this because I am in need,
for I have learned to be content
whatever the circumstances.
I know what it is to be in need,
and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content
in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry,
whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do all this through him
who gives me strength.”
-Philippians 4:11-13
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