Toy Stories: Barbie — Humble vs. Powerful - Thursday
Today’s Verse
1 Samuel 1:11
And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” (ESV)
Yesterday, we talked about Hannah’s humility in 1 Samuel 1. But we’re not done yet—there are a few more details we can learn from. Let’s dive in.
Hannah had prayed for a child and vowed to give him back to God. The Lord heard Hannah, and in time, she bore a son, whom she dedicated to the Lord.
Before we move on, I need to acknowledge a common misconception about our relationship with God: just because Hannah prayed “hard enough” does not mean that God had to answer her prayers exactly as she asked.
This is such a humbling and sobering reminder, especially when we’re praying for something that seems like it’s in God’s will. But prayer doesn’t always work this way. Hannah couldn’t control the narrative any more than you or I can. God is not indebted to us to do as we say.
But here’s what we do know: God is sovereign, all-powerful, and all-knowing. His ways are higher than our ways, which means we won’t always understand the ins and outs of why things happen the way they do. I can’t say exactly why God chose to give Hannah a son when He did, but we do know how He eventually redeemed it.
Which is a great reminder for our family and friends whose hearts ache deeply in the midst of difficult situations, like infertility. Often, it’s hard to hold both joy for others and grief for ourselves. So if you’re walking on this road, please know you aren’t alone. We’d love to come around you as a church and pray for you.
God wants us to rest in Him, not in the knowledge of some future event. In Hannah’s case, all we know is God must have seen that giving her a son would be to His glory and Hannah’s good. And in her grief, Hannah learned to rely on God.
Now, Samuel was Hannah’s one and only son. Does that wording sound familiar to you? That’s right, we’ve come across one of my favorite literary devices to look for: foreshadowing.
Hannah handed her one and only son, whom she loved deeply, over to the sons of Eli, whom Scripture describes pretty clearly as “worthless men” who “did not know the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:12). Can you imagine?
Some stories in Scripture whisper foreshadowing about Jesus, but this one shouts it.
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, Jesus, over to worthless men who did not know the Lord. Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross paid the debt we owed, and His resurrection on the third day defeated death. All this so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life.
APPLICATION
Take some time today to write down ways that you have seen God’s faithfulness in your life. Maybe these are answered prayers, people who have impacted your walk with Jesus, or small ways you see God’s hand at work.
Want to talk with someone? Whether you’re in the valley, on a mountaintop, or somewhere in between, we’d love to hear from you. Visit southland.church/care to learn more.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins. Teach me to rely on You alone, even in the midst of pain and grief. Amen.
