Read: 1 Samuel 1-5
Yesterday I had a conversation with someone about prayer and whether God can hear prayers that are not spoken out loud. As a Christian, I believe that God hears my prayers no matter when, how, or the specific words that I say; whether they are spoken out loud or prayed silently in my heart. In today’s reading we actually see a really clear example of that.
In 1 Samuel 1, Hannah is praying silently in her heart. There is no audible sound, and Eli the priest actually believes she is drunk because he sees her lips moving but hears no words. Even though the prayer is silent, God still hears her.
“Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk.” –1 Samuel 1:13
Eli eventually tells her that her request should be granted, and God does in fact answer the prayer that she prayed.
“May the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” –1 Samuel 1:17
Because God answers Hannah’s prayer and gives her a child, she dedicates the child’s life to the Lord. As a mother, this part really stands out to me. Hannah waited so long and prayed so deeply for a child, and then when God blessed her with Samuel, she gave him back to the Lord. That level of devotion would be incredibly challenging as a parent, but it also shows such deep faith and trust in God. Our God is so great! He loves us, He answers our prayers, and we can devote pieces of our hearts and our lives to Him in return.
After Samuel is born and dedicated to the Lord, Hannah prays again and praises God.
“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” -1 Samuel 2:2
How beautiful that her response is praise and honor to the Lord. In that same prayer she reminds us that the Lord is a God who knows. And that is so true. He knows what we need, what we want, what we desire, what we feel, and what we think before it even happens. After all, He created each of us. God knows us, and He wants to be known by us. He wants to be in relationship with us.
In chapter 3, the Lord calls to Samuel. We see so many times throughout Scripture that God calls us to listen and pay attention. Samuel would have missed God speaking to him if he had not had his ears open to listening and his mind open to understanding that it was not Eli calling him, which is probably what he was used to, but instead it was God placing a new calling on his life and reaching out to share part of His plan with Samuel.
“Speak, for your servant is listening.” -1 Samuel 3:10
This is such a good reminder for us as well! God still calls us to listen. The question is whether we are paying attention when He speaks.
Discussion Question
- Hannah responds with praise after her prayer is answered. Why is it important to praise God not only when we are asking for something, but also after He provides?
Connect with the Author
A Note from the Author
Hello everyone,
I wanted to take a moment to share a bit about the Bible verse studies, devotionals, and prayers that I put together. While I strive to offer meaningful insights and reflections, it’s important to clarify that I am not a trained or licensed biblical professional. My goal is not to provide expert theological advice but to share my personal knowledge, beliefs, and experiences as I read and reflect on the Holy Bible.
The insights I offer come from my own understanding and spiritual journey. I approach these reflections with the intention of sharing what personally resonates with me, what I’ve learned through my own study of Scripture, and what the Holy Spirit is sharing through me. I hope these thoughts are helpful and encouraging, but they are based on my personal perspective rather than formal theological training.
This specific Bible study is based off the book A Beautiful Year in the Bible The 52-Week Bible Study for Women by a series of wonderful authors Copyrighted by Alabaster Creative Inc. I do not own the rights to this book and am not claiming to. I am using the book to create my own version of the Bible in 365 days and continue to direct God’s word towards women, more specifically mothers.
Thank you for your understanding and for joining me in this journey of faith and reflection.
Blessings,
Maria Wilcoxon
*The header image is not mine and was taken from Pinterest
Leave a comment