Connect Hannah's actions to Romans 12:1 about offering ourselves to God. Scripture Foundation • Romans 12:1: “Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” • 1 Samuel 1:10-11, 27-28: – “In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. And she made a vow, saying, ‘O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant … but give Your maidservant a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life…’” – “For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has granted me the petition I made of Him. So now I dedicate him to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” Hannah’s Story in Brief • Barren, ridiculed, and heart-broken, Hannah sought the LORD at Shiloh. • She vowed that if God granted her a son, she would return that very gift to Him. • God answered; Samuel was born. When he was weaned, Hannah brought him back, placing him under Eli’s care at the tabernacle—an act of complete follow-through. • Instead of sorrow, Hannah burst into praise (1 Samuel 2:1-2). Hannah’s Offering: What She Actually Gave • Her Motherhood – She let go of the daily joy of raising Samuel. • Her Son – The most precious person in her life became God’s servant first. • Her Future – Any plans she imagined for Samuel were surrendered to the LORD’s agenda. • Her Worship – She didn’t bring excuses but “worshiped the LORD there” (1 Samuel 1:28). Parallels to “Living Sacrifice” Living: • Hannah remained alive and active in her family, yet her life pivoted around God’s claim on Samuel. Sacrifice: • A willingly relinquished treasure, echoing Old-Testament burnt offerings—total, irrevocable. Holy: • Samuel was set apart as a Nazirite; Hannah’s vow reflected a heart set apart for God’s purposes. Pleasing to God: • The LORD honored her faith (1 Samuel 2:21). Her sacrifice was accepted and multiplied. Spiritual Service of Worship: • Hannah’s vow, fulfillment, and song form a seamless act of worship, not a single ceremony but a lifestyle. Lessons for Present-Day “Living Sacrifices” • View every answered prayer as an opportunity to give back. • Hold blessings with open hands; ownership belongs to God (Psalm 24:1). • Follow through—Hannah kept her vow “as soon as he was weaned” (1 Samuel 1:24). Delayed obedience weakens worship. • Replace loss with praise. Like Hannah’s song, praise reframes sacrifice as privilege (Philippians 4:6). • Trust God’s multiplication: Hannah later bore “three sons and two daughters” (1 Samuel 2:21). Our surrendered gifts never diminish God’s goodness (Luke 6:38). Supporting Passages to Deepen the Parallel • 2 Corinthians 5:15—Christ died “so that those who live should no longer live for themselves.” • Philippians 2:17—Paul speaks of being “poured out like a drink offering.” • 1 Peter 2:5—Believers are “being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices.” Practical Application Steps 1. Identify the “Samuels” God has placed in your life—people, talents, resources. 2. Acknowledge God’s ownership aloud, as Hannah did. 3. Act: dedicate them tangibly—time on the calendar, money in the budget, service in the church. 4. Celebrate: let worship replace any sense of loss, singing your own version of Hannah’s song. |
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