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Hope Deferred—Observations from Hannah’s Story
She pushed herself up from the table and left the room. She did not have much appetite. The day had been long, and she could take the painful and provoking comments from Peninnah no longer. As she walked towards the temple, tears poured from her eyes and slid down her cheeks and nose, making a wet trail in the dust. Her lips moved as she prayed, but she did not utter a sound as she pleaded and begged the LORD for a child. To make matters worse, the priest believed her to be not grieved, but rather, drunk. (1 Sam. 1:7–14) Hannah suffered much because of her childless state. Many…
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A Family Advent Activity with Mary’s Magnificat
Many of us spend part of the Advent season reflecting on Christ’s birth together as a family. But do you ever get to the point where you feel like you’re just saying the same things over and over? This year I sat down and compared Hannah and Mary’s songs of praise to God and found quite a few similarities. Mary’s song reflects her deep knowledge of the lives and words of the Old Testament saints, and in particular, Hannah’s story seemed to resonate with Mary. Over a thousand years earlier, Hannah sang a song of praise to God for blessing her barren womb, and Mary praised God for making fertile…