What other biblical stories show God's favor despite human limitations? Starting Point: Hannah’s Double Portion — 1 Samuel 1:5 “But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb.” • God’s favor reaches a barren, heartbroken woman. • Her limitation—infertility—does not cancel His purpose; it becomes the stage for Samuel’s miraculous birth and Israel’s renewal. Sarah: Barrenness Becomes Laughter “Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age…” • Decades of waiting end in Isaac’s birth. • Human impossibility highlights divine reliability. • Echoes Hannah: God opens closed wombs to fulfill covenant promises. Moses: The Tongue-Tied Deliverer “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent… for I am slow of speech and tongue.” “Now go! I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say.” • Speech limitation meets God’s personal tutoring. • Pharaoh’s empire is confronted by a hesitant shepherd empowered by “I AM.” Gideon: The Smallest Clan, the Mighty Warrior “Indeed, my clan is the weakest… and I am the youngest…” “Surely I will be with you.” • From hiding in a winepress to routing Midian with only 300 men. • God deliberately pares down resources so His strength is unmistakable. David: Shepherd Boy to Giant Slayer “The LORD does not see as man does… the LORD sees the heart.” • Overlooked youngest son becomes Israel’s champion. • Sling and stone outclass sword and spear because God stands behind them. Mary: Young, Unknown, Highly Favored “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God… For nothing will be impossible with God.” • A modest village girl carries the Messiah. • Virginity—an absolute human limit—magnifies God’s limitless power. Paul: Weakness that Magnified Grace “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” • An unspecified “thorn” keeps the apostle dependent. • Instead of removing the limitation, God turns it into a channel of Christ’s power. Thread That Ties Them Together • Human boundaries—age, barrenness, ineloquence, social standing, physical weakness—never bind God. • He delights to display favor where it looks least likely, so the spotlight stays on His glory, not our ability. • From Hannah’s closed womb to Paul’s thorn, Scripture consistently shows the same pattern: limitations become launchpads for divine purpose. |
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