1 Samuel 2:1-3
“God is to be praised as a PEERLESS being.” (Matthew Henry)
MY HEART REJOICES IN THE LORD....
1. “In the Lord, my horn is lifted high”. Hannah remembers her barren, bitter state, and couldn’t help but burst into praise (not a silent prayer this time). He has turned her mourning into dancing! Her heart rejoices, her mouth boasts in the Lord’s deliverance, and her face and countenance for sure brightens up. ‘Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks’(Mt12:34). Ironically, we say we have Christ in our hearts, but our bodies do not reflect any sign of His joy. How fast do we get irritated, and worried, and discontented? Sometimes as early as waking up, or inside the Church, even while serving others or amidst overwhelming blessings. Matthew Henry wrote, “Praise is our rent, our tribute. We are unjust if we do not pay it.”
Application:
We have been given much, and have been raised many times over our barren states. Be a praise-r! Make it obvious please :> And we represent God by the way…
2. “I delight in Your deliverance”. Now Hannah has something to counter attack her enemies. But it wasn’t Samuel, or keeping Elkanah’s family line, she boasted about her Deliverer. The Lord has heard and avenged her in time. Many have taunted the people of God (and God Himself), and all were ‘silenced in darkness’. Pharaoh, Goliath, Sanballat, even Satan thought he won when Judas succumbed to him and betrayed Jesus. But God is always a victor. Never will he fail. Nothing will take His glory from Him.
Application:
Never miss the point of sharing in His suffering. It is always to bring Him glory. Sometime we may think God is late, as maybe the thoughts of Mary and Martha, but in His time He made Lazarus rise. Would we settle seeing Him as Healer, when we can watch Him as the Resurrection? How wonderful are You Lord. I will hope and wait, and will sure delight in Your deliverance!
3. “No one holy like the Lord, no one besides You”. Unique, distinct, peerless, unparalleled, set apart. A masterpiece by Himself. HE IS! Listing down all His traits would surpass all adjectives written. Trying to fully grasp Him is impossible. He will always overwhelm us, surprise us, awesome-ize us. But in His graciousness He reveals Himself to us. He even came to be with men. God became personal.
Application:
Because He is unique, His works are unique. Even the best architecture would fall short from the grandeur of the mountains. Even the latest technology could not create life or bring back one from death. And not even the wisest among men could decipher the secrets of the universe. It’s foolishness to exchange His glory for worthless idols. But how often do we make Him our option instead of being our priority? If we have found the priceless Jewel, will we not sell everything we have to own Him, and be content in Him?
4. “There is no Rock like our God”. Or ‘there is none strong like our God’. God as rock was first mentioned in the Song of Moses, and usually refers to Him being our shelter (shield from storm), strength (support in weakness), and salvation (set free from sin). Hannah speaks as one coming from hard times and now testifies of God’s dependability and power worthy of our trust, hope and lives. And all throughout her song, she speaks not of the gift she received from God. She sings about God.
When God answers a prayer for a partner in life, a child, a job, or a house, Christians praise God. But then after a while, our conversations are filled with every detail of our enjoyment of His gift. Hannah devoted 10 verses just praising God, with no mention of Samuel. May our mouths speak (and sing!) more of God than anything else.
5. “The Lord is a God who knows”. With proud hearts and arrogant mouths as context, we hear Hannah’s declaration of God’s perfect knowledge of men, inside out. He sees our actions and knows all our thoughts. A comfort to His children, and a warning to those opposing His ways. And Hannah, instead of boasting over ‘her’ triumph over them, wanted them to turn from their sins. She wanted them no harm, but changed. Jesus died for all, even those He knew wouldn’t acknowledge Him, or even care. How pure is His love on the Cross! His knowledge scanned through humanity, past and future, sins of both believing and unbelieving, and still He chose to endure the cross.
Application:
Our circle of friends are people we choose (or chose us) based on bearability, commonalities, and mutual benefits, haha :> But those we regard as outside the circle are those we keep some certain distance apart to avoid conflict, association, or involvement. But if the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost, why do we turn our heads from them? If Jesus dined with sinners and rebuked the rich and the religious His’ time, why is our knowledge of people’s status, character, and lack of potential (oh how proud are we!) hinders our coming to them?
6. “By Him deeds are weighed”. To weigh is to carefully consider if balance is achieved. In His infinite wisdom He sees every man’s actions, from motive to process to outcome, then He determines if it passes His standard of truth and parallels His will. That’s justice in action. And it is only to Him we give an account. (1) All our deeds should be FOR Him. Efforts apart from His will is futile and is sin. (So why do it?); (2)All we can do are be BY HIM. We should acknowledge that all ideas are from Him. That would keep us from pride; (3) All that we do should be THROUGH Him. Not by might nor by power, but by His Spirit says the Lord. Burn outs happen when we try to do it our way.
Application:
Come to think of it: His work, done His way, He will empower and complete it. We are just vessels through which His will would be accomplished. He could have done it Himself, but He shares His work with us, so we can share his joy, and enjoy the reward He gives to the faithful. Why work elsewhere? Meaningless, said the wise Solomon. Be grateful and glad that we are in His service. It’s the best job in the world!
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