Hannah’s Faith: Why I love Hannah’s Story in 1 Samuel 1-2!

Yesterday on Mother’s Day, I had the greatest joy and delight to preach on my favorite story in the Bible. I believe 1 Samuel 1:2-2:21–especially Chapter 1:1-19–is the most beatiful story in the Bible. (I have always loved this story since a little boy attending Sunday School Bible study. Finally, I got to teach it and discussed what it means to the biblical notion of motherhood, spirituality, persistent prayer, and discipleship.) It is a story of motherly love, godliness, devotion, sacrifice, and selflessness. It is also a magnificent story of divine sovereignty and sweet providence, and God’s incomparable grace and liberative intervention on behalf of the oppressed and the weak–resulting in exhilarating moments of joy and celebration in the life of this formerly barren and obscure woman named Hannah.

Let us all imitate Hannah’s faith!

Contrary to what many biblical commentators have said on 1 and 2 Samuel, I believe that Hannah, the mother of Samuel and whose name means “grace,” not King David, is the most important character in this book. Hannah has changed Israel’s story forever and shaped salvation history through the eschatological Messiah, both directly and indirectly.