What can we learn about God's character from Hannah's experience in 1 Samuel 1:20? Verse at a Glance “So in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I have asked for him from the LORD.’” (1 Samuel 1:20) The God Who Listens • Hannah’s plea in the temple (1 Samuel 1:10–13) shows that every word of earnest prayer reaches Him. • “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry” (Psalm 34:15). • His attentiveness reveals a relational God, not an indifferent deity. The God Whose Timing Is Perfect • “In due time” underscores divine scheduling; delay is never denial. • Ecclesiastes 3:1 confirms: “There is a time for every purpose under heaven.” • When fulfillment came, it was unmistakably linked to God’s intervention, protecting His glory. The God of Compassionate Mercy • Barrenness carried social reproach, yet God moved with tender concern (Psalm 103:13). • Luke 1:58 notes similar mercy toward Elizabeth, showing a consistent heart of compassion across Scripture. The God Who Is Sovereign Over Life • He alone opens and closes the womb (Genesis 30:22; Psalm 113:9). • Samuel’s conception points to His authoritative power to create and sustain life (Psalm 139:13). The God Who Invites Personal Relationship • Hannah names her son “Samuel” (“heard of God”), embedding her story of answered prayer in the child’s identity. • Naming testifies that God’s acts are personal, not merely transactional (Isaiah 49:16). The God Who Inspires Worshipful Response • Hannah’s later song (1 Samuel 2:1–10) flows naturally from God’s faithfulness in 1 Samuel 1:20. • Gratitude leads to exaltation: “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Takeaway Snapshots • He hears. • He acts in perfect timing. • He moves with mercy. • He reigns over life itself. • He seeks relational, worshipful hearts. |
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