We use the word “hope” all the time. “I hope it doesn’t rain.” “I hope the car starts.” “I hope there’s some pie left.”
Usually, we mean “I wish.” But in the Bible, hope means something much stronger. Hope is confident expectation.
Hannah knew all about hope.
Hannah wanted a child more than anything in the world. But year after year, she couldn’t have one. To make matters worse, her husband’s other wife, Peninnah, had plenty of children and never let Hannah forget it. Year after year, she taunted Hannah until she cried and couldn’t eat.
One year, at the temple, Hannah poured out her heart to God. She prayed so hard that only her lips moved, and no sound came out. The old priest, Eli, watched her and decided she must be drunk.
“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.”
Eli blessed her: “May the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
And then comes my favorite verse in the whole story: “Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.”
Hannah wasn’t pregnant yet. Nothing had changed. But her face had. She had left her burden with God, and she walked away with hope.
That’s what hope does. Hope changes your face before it changes your circumstances.
The next year, Hannah held her baby boy, Samuel. And Samuel grew up to become one of Israel’s greatest prophets.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank-you for hearing the prayers I can’t even put into words. Thank-you for giving me the hope of Hannah, so that I can leave my burdens with You and walk away with my head held high. Thank-you for being the God of hope. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Wikipedia: Hannah (biblical figure), Samuel, Eli (biblical figure)
Look-It Up:
Hannah’s story is told in 1 Samuel 1–2.
“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.”
She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Free Bonus:
Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 is very similar to Mary’s song of praise, the Magnificat, in Luke 1:46-55. Mary may well have known Hannah’s song by heart.
Hannah kept her promise to dedicate Samuel to the Lord. Every year, she made him a little robe and brought it to him at the temple (1 Samuel 2:19).