Woman Wednesday Follow Up

Yesterday's post was rather long, but good, however, it also lacked an important part of Hannah's life that she is remembered for in Scripture. I was reminded today of it when I read the Garner's blog and Julie had written about things she was thankful for. I was also reminded that this is an area I want to grow in as well - not only to "devote myself to prayer," but also "being watchful and thankful" (Colossians 4:2).

When God blessed Hannah with a son, Samuel, Hannah offered a prayer of thanksgiving and glorifying God for answering her in the beginning 1 Samuel 2. The depth of thanks and gratefulness for God blessing her with a son and her overwhelming love and reverence towards God is overwhelming in the prayer. Hannah's example of daily worship and prayer and thanksgiving is to me a sobering contrast to my own daily worship, prayer and thanksgiving. It's not the amount that sobers me, but the heart behind it. Thanksgiving is the sign of a grateful person. As CJ Mahaney writes in his book, Humility: True Greatness, "Let each of us recognize every day (by expressing thankfulness) that whatever grace we receive from God is so much more than we're worthy of, and indescribably better than the hell we all deserve" (pg. 71). I know I'm not a thankful person. And that's the person I don't want to be and I know it's by God's grace to want to change and it will be by God's grace to change.

So, what can I learn from Hannah's example? There are three things I see from Hannah's example.

1. When Hannah had fulfilled her vow and given Samuel to be raised and taught in the temple, she immediately offered a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God. So I want to seek God to help me to be thankful and when I do recognize God's gifts in my life, to be quick to acknowledge His sovereign hand in it and be thankful. Not just with the big things, but with the little things as well. I know this will not happen overnight and it will take some time and purposeful effort, but I am confident that God will help me.
2. The second thing I can take from Hannah's example of thankgiving is to make it about God, not about me. Period.
3. The last thing I can take from Hannah's example is to use what I know about God or Scripture or have at my disposal to thank God with. As you read Hannah's prayers, it can be surmised that from being a priest's wife, she would have been exposed to the older prayers made by Israel's forefathers and she would be familiar with the language of how to describe God. Her prior knowledge of these words and phrases would help her in forming a prayer of thanksgiving to God. I too have the Scripture at my hands and I can find many prayers in the Psalms or other OT and NT passages that can assist me in giving thanksgiving to God. I also have access to God-centered worship songs that can also assist me in giving thanks to God as well. I don't have to try to be creative or original in giving thanks to God, I have these things to guide and give direction to thanksgiving towards God.

In closing, I want to express thankfulness and gratefulness to God specifically for His word and for working in Hannah's life thousands of years ago and making her an example of thankfulness. I want to express thankfulness for God sending His Son to take the punishment I so richly deserved as an enemy of God and for now making me his daughter in Christ.

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

Toodles,