1542) In many ways, I’m unique. (I know, right?) Unlike many, I don’t really care for chocolate. I’ll eat it but I can take it or leave it. (Kind of like my lack of enthusiasm with lobster. I know! Seriously?) What I do love is candy and will buy some from time to time to enjoy. My favorite candy is Now and Later. I don’t remember the jingle for the candy but it went something like, “Eat some now, save some for later.” It is this candy that came to mind when I read Hannah’s prayer found in 1 Samuel 2.
The context of these verses is that a woman named Hannah wanted a child so badly, she poured out, repeatedly, to God her request. God answered her prayer and Samuel was born. The second chapter of 1 Samuel is her prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord, but if you read it, it is very different than the type of prayer we might offer.
Hannah starts out praising God for her son in a manner I would predict, but then, her prayer changes focus. She admonishes people to stop acting proud and haughty (verse 3); that the bow of the mighty is now broken (verse 4); those who are well fed will starve (verse. 5); and God will bring down some early to the grave (verse 6).
She goes on to say God will make the poor rich (verse 7); he lifts the poor from the dust (verse 8); the wicked will disappear in darkness (verse 9); and those who fight against God will be shattered (verse 10).
Don’t these words seem odd coming from a woman who just had her prayers answered? They do if you don’t read the context of these words. (I write a weekly newsletter that addresses important ways to read Scripture, such as, Context is king. Sign up here.)
In the first chapter of 1 Samuel, Hannah is praying for a son and another woman taunted her, her husband’s second wife, because she had children and Hannah did not. The harassment was so bad, Hannah would regularly cry and not eat. But then…..Samuel is born.
What does this context tell us about the prayer of Hannah? It tells us that some people, just like the candy, take the good things of now without being interested in the later. God sees those who suffer in their faith now but trust him, anyway.
It’s easy to see what is right before your eyes, but this seeing of the “later” takes faith. May we always be looking toward the later.
I was excited to be recognized by a fellow writer! Author and blogger Keon Lindsey (https://KeonLindsey.com) asked to interview me as one of his “Authors to Meet”. Let me know what you think of the interview and please share it with a friend. Here’s the link: https://keonlindsey.com/interview-with-author-susan-grant/
