How did Hannah worship God?
From the Hebrew Scriptures, 1 Samuel 1:10-17, 20, New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Hannah was a very religious woman. She spent her days praying and trying to serve God by being a good woman and good wife. She wanted to be a good mother, too, but she did not have children.
Hannah was a godly woman
She did not return evil for evil, harm for harm to Peninnah. She took her problem to the Lord, she didn't scheme; she didn't fight with Peninnah; she didn't rely on the flesh. She kept her word, the vow that she made to God. She publicly worshiped and praised God for his goodness to her.
She gazes at the gracious hand of the Giver, not at her grieving prayers and petitions. So, she doesn't say, 'I thank You, God, for listening to my prayer! '; instead she says, “my horn [or 'my strength'] is exalted in the LORD” as in v. 1 of our text passage.
1 Samuel 2:1-10 In-Context
1 Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. 2 “There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
And Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; my strength 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.
Hannah demonstrates her faith through obedience, even when it means an extreme personal sacrifice. She has longed for this child, and she loves him as only a mother can love a child. But her love for God is greater and she shows it by letting go of Samuel.
Hannah trusts God and that his plan for Samuel is better than her way or her plan. She may not understand it but she trusted it. Through her life she had learned to wait on the Lord and trust in his sovereignty. Hannah praises God in all circumstances.
Hannah understood that the only one who can comfort her and provide relief is God and she depended on Him completely. Although the default human reaction when triggered is to respond negatively we must learn to put our faith in the God who will fight for us.
1 Samuel 1:11 In-Context
11 Hannah made a solemn promise: "Lord Almighty, look at me, your servant! See my trouble and remember me! Don't forget me! If you give me a son, I promise that I will dedicate him to you for his whole life and that he will never have his hair cut."
Hannah, also spelled Anna, (11th century bc), mother of Samuel, the Jewish judge. Childless as one of the two wives of Elkanah, she prayed for a son, promising to dedicate him to God. Her prayers were answered, and she brought the child Samuel to Shiloh for religious training.
What did Hannah say about God?
Hannah's Joy
“My heart exults in the Lord, my horn is exalted by my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in your victory.
Hannah made a solemn promise: “Almighty LORD, look at me, your servant! See my trouble and remember me! Don't forget me!
She is a latter-day Ruth. Hannah is a powerful example of faithfulness. Her petition to be blessed with a child was granted after the trial of her faith. She covenanted with the Lord that she would give her son to His service when her son was old enough, and she remained committed to her covenant.
It might have been hard for Hannah to see Samuel only once a year, but she wanted to keep her promise. God blessed Hannah again and gave her and her husband even more sons and daughters. Samuel did very well while staying with Eli.
The Rabbis assert that Hannah was the first person since God created His world to use the name “Hosts.” She said to Him: “Master of the Universe!
She poured out her soul to the Lord and expressed the depth of anguish which she felt over the lack of children in her life. And never was she condemned for this honest expression of her pain, for even in her misery, Hannah never lost her unwavering faith in the Lord.
For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord” (1:26-28). Her gratitude flows from her lips as an offering of praise to God for the gift of Samuel.
Hannah was a dedicated mother. She didn't have Samuel long, only long enough to wean him (probably 2-3 years), but she spent that time diligently training her son. You can see later as Samuel grew up that he didn't follow the poor example of his mentor Eli's sons, but he was much more godly.
The name Hannah stems from the Hebrew name Channah, which means "favor" or "grace." It is a biblical name, with Hannah appearing in the Old Testament as the mother of Samuel.
According to Michelle Osherow, Hannah represents the character of the earnest petitioner and grateful celebrant of divine glory. Hannah was an important figure for early English Protestantism, which emphasized the importance of private prayer.
How did Hannah demonstrate her love to God?
Hannah demonstrates her faith through obedience, even when it means an extreme personal sacrifice. She has longed for this child, and she loves him as only a mother can love a child. But her love for God is greater and she shows it by letting go of Samuel.
Be Persistent in Prayer
Despite the difficult circumstances she faced, Hannah persistently prayed to God. 1 Samuel 1:12 states that she kept on praying to the Lord. And her prayers were not just a one-time event, but she prayed with an intensity and focus. 1 Samuel 1:15 states she “poured her soul before the Lord.”
Hannah started by worshiping the LORD in the temple, but we see it more profoundly after she dedicated Samuel to serve.
Hannah trusted God without doubt or concern. Hannah's story teaches us that our faith in God allows Him to bless us. Her trust in God as she turned to Him, her deep desire for children and her faithfulness in bringing Samuel to God as promised are all evidences of God working in Hannah's life.
One day Hannah went up to the Tabernacle and prayed with great weeping (I Samuel 1:10), while Eli the High Priest was sitting on a chair near the doorpost. In her prayer, she asked God for a son and in return she vowed to give the son back to God for the service of God.