“Then Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the Lord! The Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me. No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. “Stop acting so proud and haughty! Don’t speak with such arrogance! For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done; he will judge your actions. The bow of the mighty is now broken, and those who stumbled are now strong. Those who were well fed are now starving, and those who were starving are now full. The childless woman now has seven children, and the woman with many children wastes away. The Lord gives both death and life; he brings some down to the grave but raises others up. The Lord makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor. For all the earth is the Lord’s, and he has set the world in order. “He will protect his faithful ones, but the wicked will disappear in darkness. No one will succeed by strength alone. Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered. He thunders against them from heaven; the Lord judges throughout the earth. He gives power to his king; he increases the strength of his anointed one.” Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest.”
1 Samuel 2:1-11 NLT
God is all-powerful and he is not safe, but he is good. Those who truly praise him acknowledge this fact. He is prone to acts that bring us surprise and joy at their unpredictability. His cleverness is boundless. At the same time, God is dependable. He is faithful in his character. It is never quite a question of what he will accomplish, but rather how he will accomplish it. Hannah’s prayer recognizes all of these facets and it places her in the line of several women who didn’t try to force God through might or power, but rather reasoned with him on the basis of his character. There is nothing that motivates God , among mankind, more than a true emotional connection with his people. Here we see that vulnerability and praise, when combined, are man’s only real leverage against history. The fact that man is loved by a good God, who wants to bless them, is the only real source of agency he has in this world. This highlights the power of bringing prayer to despair and difficulty. It showcases how even the least powerful can be blessed by God among kings. We ought to remember those like Hannah when we are in the thick of trials and sadness. God always does.
God’s Nature: All-powerful, unpredictable, clever, dependable, and faithful.
Human’s Leverage: Emotional connection with God through vulnerability and praise.
Power of Prayer: Brings hope and blessing in times of despair and difficulty.
JOSH McGARY.COM 