1 Samuel 1 | Hannah was loved, by husband and a heavenly God. She was special to Him, and she retreated to His holy house often. She craved a child to call hers, and went to the Lord’s house to tell Him so. She believed Him at His Word—her God was able and big and mighty. There she bows low on bended knee. She buries her head in the dirt, thinking: who am I to ask to Him? To request or require of Him? But He was mindful of her—she was certain. So she repeats herself over and over again and her voice does not waver. She dares Him—the holder of every answer, of yeses and nos and far betters. She pours her soul right out, hands her wildest wishes over —and promises something in return if He comes through.

Lord Almighty, if you will only look on Your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget Your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life / 1 Samuel 1:11

She doesn’t barter or bait Him. It’s simple—she abandons herself, her plans, her wishes to the able One. She grasps that God has mastery over her, and just takes her rightful place wrapped up in His will. He hears her, she knows it. And she promises to share Samuel forever after. Oh, that I would pray like Hannah. Oh, that I would take a knee and just dare Him. Oh, that I would believe God at His word—that He hears me and wrote out my very desires and is just glad I finally decided to ask. Her story tells those who are longing that we’re allowed to. And that when God comes through, we better sing our Hannah song.

‘I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.’ And she worshiped the Lord there / 1 Samuel 1:27

Abandoned to His answer, in holy anticipation, Hannah waits. The very thing she asked of Him, God gives! She names her son Samuel—heard by God—and hands him over, just as she promised. She takes Him to holy ground where he’d grow up amongst God Himself. In giving Him back, she sings. She sings to the God who is faithful, the God who takes care and comes through. She sings of His power and triumph, His intricate authorship of the wishes of her heart. She sings to the God who sources her joy and satisfies her longing, the God who can pull off anything. She raises her horn high, her power made great thanks to the Lord. Hannah’s a thankful recipient of kept promises, and she keeps them right back. So she sings. 

Hannah’s song is a song of the rescued, of the heard, of the recipient. It’s a song of the servant of whom the Lord has found favor. I’m not sure what my Samuel will be. A book, a child, a dream fulfilled, a husband, a ministry, or a particular desire He’s yet to unleash within me. But I want to try on the audacity of Hannah for size and good practice. I want to dare the God who is able and sing my Hannah song when I watch Him move. I want to bare the rawest desires of my heart to the God who put them there, so I’ll sing.

Though at times You are quiet, You can hear me just fine. I just want to know what my Samuel is!!!! I dare You to make it clear as day and then make him happen! Until then, I’ll sing hallelujahs & I love You’s. Take joy, my King.