God is Faithful to Hannah

Sermon Theme: The story of Hannah allows us to see another picture of God’s faithfulness, and to also reflect on our own faithfulness. Are we clinging to the promises of God or to the things of this world? 

Reading Theme: This week as we read we will continue to focus on faithfulness – on God’s faithfulness to us, and our responsibility to be faithful to Him. We will explore God’s calling of Samuel and Saul, and see how one servant remains faithful while the other turns away from the LORD. 

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

Click here to access the reading from 1Samuel 1:9-11, 19-20, 2:1-10

For more help use this Bible Study method

You will find the Sermon Notes for today’s message here.

REFLECTION

Promises Kept

by Elaine Pierce

Hannah's prayer of praise and thanksgiving was probably sung. Try to picture the scene: Hannah is giving her precious firstborn son to the service of God. God answered her prayer for a child, and she is fulfilling her promise to "give him to the LORD for all the days of his life." Hannah was not a priest or temple official, but her prayer is full of godly wisdom. Let's take a closer look

Hannah begins by praising God: "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God." (v. 2). She's got the right perspective, doesn't she? This answer to prayer is not about her faithfulness, but God's sovereignty. In fact, as she prays, it is evident that she understands who is in charge when she says, "for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed" (v. 3). It's not our call. The Lord decides who lives and who dies. He decides who is wealthy and who is poor, and in fact, he can reverse those economic states as he wills (v. 5-8).  

Hannah wrote this before Israel had a king - it was in the time of judges. But in her prayer, she foreshadows the time that the nation will have a king:  

"He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed." (v. 10)

Spend some time meditating on this prayer this week. You will be reminded that God has a plan for each life, and that each one of us is precious to him. And you will rejoice, along with Hannah, that "the foundations of the earth are the LORD's....He will guard the feet of his saints....The LORD will judge the ends of the earth."

Hannah was a young mother who honored her commitment to God .  Of course, we can't help but think of another young woman who learns she will be the mother of the savior of the world. As you ponder Hannah's prayer, take a look at Mary's song in Luke 1:46-55. I think she was steeped in scripture and knew Hannah's story well. What good gifts we have from God's word!

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

Sundays - PEACE - Blessed are the Shalom-makers, for they shall be called the children of God. We confess that we have all sinned and fallen short of your glory, O God. We have broken the peace and wholeness of your good world. Forgive us, lead us, and restore us. Reform us into peacemakers instead of peace-breakers.