1 Samuel 1:1-20

It was through the faith of an insignificant woman, Hannah, that the Lord transformed Israel

While it was Samuel who did the hands-on work, it was a faithful mother that prayed for him and was a faithful steward of him

Hannah’s Plight (vv. 1-8)

Hannah’s womb was shut, and this is a really big deal

There are some cultural differences we need to consider -> a woman’s worth was tied to child bearing and raising

And to a degree, it still is -> children are a heritage of the Lord, and families are led by fathers and thrive by mothers (Prov. 31:1, 10-31)

This was more than a personal request -> this was the best way for Hannah to serve the Lord with the most impact possible

Not only did Hannah feel worthless, but she was unable to serve the God she loved to the degree she longed to

Furthermore, her husband’s other wife was very fertile and very cruel

Not only did she feel worthless, but she was constantly reminded of her perceived worthlessness

Hanna’s Prayer (vv. 9-18)

When grieved, overwhelmed, and misunderstood (v. 8 is a great example of what a husband should NOT say), Hannah went to the Lord

Such a simple, obvious choice to make that is so often overlooked (Ps. 61:1-2)

Her prayer was a selfless prayer -> it was one that would cause personal difficulty and grief for the sake of pleasing God

This was truly a prayer in the Lord’s name and a tremendous sacrifice, not a self-centered prayer

She was furthermore completely focused entirely on God and concerned entirely with God (not noticing her surroundings whatsoever)

“true power is to be found not in one’s position in society but in one’s posture before God.” Robert D. Bergen

Hannah, a rural Israelite, seemingly understood more of the Lord than Eli the judge and prophet

That is, she understood the importance and power of praying with faith (James 5:13-18)

Once she had been comforted in prayer, she returned and ate

This is a prayer of faith -> though we may be unsure of the answer, we can be sure that the Lord will work His will and that will suffice!

The peace of God is found when we bow before the throne of God (Phil. 4:6-7)

God’s Blessing on Hannah (vv. 19-20)

The ending of v. 19 is so precious -> the Lord remembered insignificant Hannah

Not because she was an important person, but because she trusted God

Samuel is quite a wonderful name -> Asked of God

God’s blessings on us are limitless should we humbly seek to please God and have faith!