"Hannah's Prayer of Gratitude" by Larry Kuhlman
“The Lord … humbles and he exalts” (1 Samuel 2:7).
I knew most of the routine. I would be in the church Nativity play. The only question would be which role I would play. My church was small, and I was cast one year as a shepherd, another a wise man, and once, Joseph. My mom would be the director, and Santa Claus would provide a small brown bag of candy and an orange.
In 1 Samuel, Hannah was all too aware of how she would be cast every year as she journeyed to the worship sacrifice at Shiloh. She would go with her husband and his other wife. Hannah would feel the pain of being barren. She would tolerate the jabs and attitude of superiority of the other wife and be reminded that God had blessed the other wife of her husband with children. Hannah would cry out to God, feel humiliated, and sinful. She’d go home wondering why God was preventing her from having children.
Hannah’s anguish was so obvious and pathetic that priest Eli rebuked her for being drunk. When Hannah replied that she was praying fervently, Eli was moved and told her God would honor her prayer. There was peace because she had prayed and had been encouraged. Hannah had a baby and was incredibly happy. Her prayer the next year glorified God and praised Him. She felt exalted and vindicated because of her answered prayer. God had taken the lowest and raised her position with her husband and his other wife.
Covid holidays will likely change the traditions of our 2020 Christmas. Seeking and discovering Christ in our “pandemic normal” will challenge us. Be reminded in uncertain times, Christ offers peace on earth and goodwill to humankind. Pray a prayer of gratitude as Hannah did. By recognizing Samuel as a gift from God, she came to worship in gratitude. By seeing the Christ Child in the manger as our gift, we can similarly offer our grateful worship, just as Hannah did.