Sing Hannah’s Song Through His Promises

“Then Eli answered, ‘Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to Him.’ And she said, ‘Let your servant find favor in your eyes.’ Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.”
1 Samuel 1:17-18

At first glance, it would seem that what made Hannah’s heart glad was that God was going to give her a son. But we must remember, this would be a child she would give right back to God. This would not be the longed for child to fill the aching mother void in her heart, but the child that she believed would be a servant to God all the days of her life—a child she would not see but perhaps once a year, a child that she would surrender to God to be a part of His greater plan (see 1 Samuel 2:19).

So Hannah’s heart was not made glad because her circumstances would change but because the God of the universe was working out a plan that her son would get to be a part of. She held onto the promise of God’s faithfulness to do what He said He would do. We can see in her song in 1 Samuel 2 that she knew a future hope was coming when all would be made right. She says, “The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; He will give strength to His king and exalt the horn of His anointed” (1 Samuel 2:10b). But she didn’t know when, or who, or even what He would do. But she did know that she could trust God with how His plan included her and her son.

It’s easy to look at Hannah’s story and think, well of course she was glad; she got to know for certain she would have a son even if she would give him back to the Lord. We don’t get that specific of a promise—or do we? While God doesn’t give us a guarantee that we will have another child, bring home a healthy baby, or see Him heal our sick babies, we do have a promise that extends beyond this world. Jesus. Jesus now and to come—the promise of all things made new (Revelation 21:5), the promise of our present suffering producing an eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17-18) and so many other promises manifested in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. In the midst of deep suffering, we can miss these promises while wishing for a promise that our circumstances would be different. It’s in these moments that we must cling to the promise that God is at work and, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

No matter how deep our despair, God is at work, more deeply rooting our hearts in the hope and redemption we have in Christ as He points us in our pain to Himself. Could Hannah have imagined the role her son would play in the story God was writing for His people and the generations to come? Could Hannah have imagined the song she would sing as a prophetic voice when, “the word of the Lord was rare” (see 1 Samuel 3:1)? Could Hannah have imagined that we would sit and gain insight from her words today? She knew none of this, but she knew her God, and she knew He was faithful and in control. We see this most clearly in her song, and we also see it in the way her heart was made glad through the giving of the promise.

Lord, I confess the ways that I cling to the wish that You would give me more specific earthly promises and forget the greatest promise I already have is You. God, You have promised me an inheritance kept in heaven for me for all eternity (1 Peter 1:4), You have promised to complete the good work You have begun in me (Philippians
1:6), and You have promised that these “light and momentary afflictions are producing for me an eternal weight of glory far beyond comprehension” (2 Corinthians 4:17). You have given me eternal life and an eternal hope. Not to mention all the ways You have revealed Yourself and Your promises even before such loss entered into my life. Help me to remember what You have done in the past, help me to see Your hand at work in my present, and help me to cling to the future promises of Your coming again and making all things new. Help me to believe that any earthly promise I desire right now pales in comparison to the promises You have already given me. That truly in You, all the promises of God are a resounding “yes!” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Let that be more than enough for me today.

Hi! I’m Lindsey. I live in Orlando, Florida with my stud of a husband Kevin. We have 3 incredible children, Sophie and Dasah who now live with Jesus and Jaden who came into our lives through adoption. We have a very energetic golden retriever and love living in the sunshine state. I get to spend my days loving on my son, investing my life in college students here through a non-profit organization we’re a part of and when I have time, writing on my blog about the hope that doesn’t disappoint!

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