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The Faith of Hannah ...

Thursday, Aug 28, 2014. Faith is not something which would be good only in the good times of life. Faith shows itself if you face trouble, if you do not know how to go on. I read the story of the birth of Samuel, the prophet, in 1 Samuel 1 and 2 this morning. It is a story about the special faith of Hannah, who did not get children, but went to the Lord and prayed.

The prayer of Hannah …

Hannah asked the Lord for a son, and she got a son - after difficult years of deep trouble and deep sadness. Her Prayer is recorded in 1 Samuel 2. Let us have a look:

1 And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. 2 “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4 The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. 5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.

6 The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.

9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. 10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. 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)

Endurance and faithfulness …

One key feature of real faith is endurance. You can observe it when you look into Hannah's life. She did not have kids, and she was ridiculed and provoked all the time because of this deep humiliation. And Hannah was sad. She was troubled. It was not what she wanted, and it caused deep sadness. But she kept faith! She went to the Lord, prayed in the temple. She did not give up herself nor God.

When it comes to faith: faith is not something for the good times only. It is not something for trouble only either. If you only search God because of your trouble, you will not succeed in the end. But if you search him despite of your trouble, in good and bad times likewise, then you will find a much deeper and more real relationship to him. Faith is something which persists. Faith is truthful in all times.

Hannah states deep truth which we often forget, when we are blinded by the appearent power of things or people in this world. But the Lord “brings low and he exalts”. It is him who judges the ends of the earth. No one else. Let us turn to him, with all what we have and what we are! (Roland Potthast) ... more texts