Believing in Grace Lesson 6 Written by Lisa Newman

Transcription

1 Hannah Believing in Grace Lesson 6 Written by Lisa Newman Introduction Many of us have experienced the anguish of walking a friend through a season of barrenness whether physical, emotional or spiritual. You may be the friend experiencing hardship. We try and help or fix it or pray beseeching prayers to God! We too often walk in our flesh when difficulty arises or a situation demands patience, sometimes years of waiting. We pray and ask the Lord to remove the ache only to find it there the next morning after our pillowcase has dried from last night s tears. This week we examine the life of a woman who sought the Lord by pouring out her heart and soul to Him for her desires. We observe how she reacts to God while wading through anguish and her response to His reply. Once God answered, was she done engaging Him? This woman made a vow and then freely presented her gift as an offering to God without hesitation. Hannah believed in God. She hoped in Him fully for provision. Her behavior reflected the depth of her confidence in the Lord with every choice she made. Here was a woman who asked of the Lord repeatedly without an answer and yet she continued communicating with Him. Hannah trusted in God with her life and her desires, no matter the outcome. One Bible commentator grants all honor to Hannah as Samuel s mother declaring her a noble example of motherhood because her son turned out to be one of the noblest and purest characters in history. 1 Consider the weight of that statement when, in reality, she gave her son to the Lord shortly after weaning him and Samuel was raised by Eli the priest in the Lord s house. Study and Personal Questions Read 1 Samuel 1. Notice how the setting is reminiscent of another woman we studied in the Old Testament whose womb was closed by the Lord (see Genesis 16:2a). Observe the contrast of Sarah s behavior to Hannah s. There was also familial conflict, largely in part to Elkanah who, although he loved Hannah, took another wife who could bear children. 1. In verse 10, how does Hannah feel and what does she do with that emotion? Personal: What is your initial response when you struggle with bitterness? 1 Halley, Henry H. Halley s Bible Handbook. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1965.

2 2. After reading verse 11, what would you consider to be the motivation behind Hannah s vow (is it a conditional request)? Which words lead you to believe this? Personal: What does this teach us about our heart s motivation for the desires we place at the Lord s feet? 3. God is not a genie in a bottle who grants wishes if we have a relationship with Him or if we behave a certain way (see Matthew 5:45b). Have you ever promised the Lord something if only He would answer your pleading prayer? How could this influence or shape your relationship with Him? 4. How does Hannah describe herself in verse 15? What action does she take after feeling this way? 5. Hannah cried out to the Lord faithfully and yet He did not answer right away. What did she do while she waited? How did she behave? Personal: How do you respond when the Lord doesn t seem to answer your prayers? 6. Read verse 19. What action do they take after spending time at the house of the Lord praying before heading home? 7. Look up Samuel in a Bible dictionary and write down what his name means. What reason does Hannah give for choosing this meaning in verse 20? 8. What does verse 23 reveal about Hannah and Elkanah s marriage (see Proverbs 31:11)? What does it show us about their individual relationship with the Lord? 2

3 9. What is Hannah s immediate response after she weans Samuel (see verse 24)? 10. Review the Bible verses and fill out the charts. 1 Samuel 1:24 Numbers 15:8-10 What Hannah brings: Sacrificed for vow fulfillment: What is revealed about Hannah s character based on her sacrifice and immediate action? 12. Read 1 Samuel 1: When God did answer her, what did she do? She trusted God. She gave her gift back to the Giver. 2 What is most significant to you about her response to God s answer? Personal: Name one answered prayer request in your life that is evidence the Lord hears you: 13. Read 1 Samuel 2:1-10. What does this prayer reveal to us about Hannah s perception of God? 14. If you could paraphrase Hannah s prayer in one sentence, what would it say? Worship and Sacrifice 15. Worship is defined as an expression of reverence and adoration of God in the Tyndale Bible Dictionary. What example does Elkanah set in 1 Samuel 1:3a? 2 MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson,

4 16. Read 1 Samuel 1:19a, 21, 25, 28, 2:19. What do we learn about Hannah and her perspective on worship and sacrifice through these verses? 17. Explore the connection between sacrifice and Hannah loaning Samuel to the Lord (see 1 Samuel 1:28) and write your thoughts below: Hannah was faithful in prayer to the Lord for her heart s desire and also faithful to fulfill her vow to Him. Read 1 Samuel 2: Eli blessed her and her husband, Elkanah, for loaning this child to the Lord. God opened her womb and gave her three more sons and two daughters after she dedicated Samuel to the Lord. This is yet another example of God s grace in her life. 18. Hannah s family was blessed by her life choices (see verse 20). Are there any new choices you can make today that would bless your family or loved ones? Are there any harmful choices you need to change? 19. Is there an area of life in which you are experiencing barrenness? If so, what is your response to God? How has barrenness altered your relationship with Him? 20. Is there anything that needs to be uprooted in your heart with regards to the barrenness? Do you have any hidden idols that are causing barrenness in your relationship with the Lord? 21. Below the headings, write out your response to God when praying through unanswered barrenness in life: Praying In My Flesh VS. Praying By His Spirit Hannah is a significant woman in the Bible most notably because she was Samuel s mother, however, it was her choices leading up to his birth that set her apart. God highlights this aspect of her life. Looking at Hannah s story should enhance the framework of Samuel s life and all God did to prepare him for the future. Contemplate how the Lord could be preparing you for kingdom work when you pray. 4

5 Discovering Jesus in the Story The entire Old Testament points toward Jesus as Savior. If we miss that we miss the entire point of the Scriptures. 1. According to the Bible verses we ve studied this week, what promise or revelation points to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ? Reflection 2. Write a short paragraph explaining how the life of Hannah has impacted your life, challenged you or corrected you concerning your choices. 5

6 A Hero s Vignette Florence Nightingale 3 Florence Nightingale is a name most people immediately associate with being a world-renowned nurse who changed the face of healthcare during the Crimean War. Her administrative gifts and compassion equipped her to alter the landscape of how people viewed nurses and soldiers. Florence was born in her namesake of Florence, Italy, in 1820 while her parents were on vacation from England. After being introduced to society as a teenager, Flo was promptly extended multiple offers of betrothal, all of which she declined. February 7, 1837 marked the day her life changed when she felt God calling her to a life of service as yet to be determined. At this point, she already had a burden to care for people in times of bodily need. After a visit with Dr. Howe and his wife, Julia Ward Howe (author of the Battle Hymn of the Republic ), Florence asked the doctor, Do you think it unsuitable and unbecoming for a young Englishwoman to devote herself to works of charity in hospitals and elsewhere Do you think it would be a dreadful thing? Although English culture would most certainly be shocked at a gentleman s daughter serving in hospitals because of their filthy state, he counseled Florence to Act on your inspiration. Florence spent years studying reports on national health conditions and serving as a nurse throughout Europe until she was appointed the position of Superintendent of the Female Nursing Establishment of the English General Hospitals in Turkey. During the day she set to improving hospital conditions and managing the nuns and other nurses who cared for the sick and at night she spent hours writing reports for the government and proposed legislation reform to help the wounded soldiers. She encouraged the nurses by telling them Christ is the author of our profession. Florence viewed her work of being devoted to healing others as a service to the Lord. Women in the 1800s were not highly regarded. It wasn t until the British news reported Florence s positive impact on the wounded soldiers that the officers and doctors submitted to her guidance and leadership on how to better direct the hospital proceedings. God also used her compassion to change the perception British officers had of soldiers whom they previously disregarded. They witnessed her genuine care for the soldiers and began to respect their men. 1. How does Florence s life encourage you, challenge you? Challenge Question: 2. Are there any Bible verses that come to mind after reading about her life? 3 The top 100 women of the Christian faith