Her Face Was No Longer Downcast
(I Samuel 1:12-18)

God has given to everyone in the world one common grace, that is, all of us are given parents and attribute what we are to them. Behind great leaders who molded the world, there were mothers of prayers. Behind Samuel who was the last judge and a prophet and great priest, there was Hannah who was the mother of prayer.

I. Faith of fervent prayer
In spite of her wish that she wanted to have a child, Hannah had no children for a long time. Because of this, the pain of her heart was great. Coming before the Lord and lying face down with prayers in tears, Hannah held on to the Lord. Moreover, she vowed to God that she would give her son to God if He answered her prayer. When you pray earnestly like this with weeping and broken heart, your prayer will be responded. When Monica, Augustine's mother prayed for her son for 20 years, he came back to the Lord and became a great church leader and theologian. Like this, mothers’ earnest prayer will solve problems of children and change their destiny.

II. Faith of absolute positivity
Eli, the servant of God said to her, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” Receiving this word with faith, she believed that it would come to pass. Then she went her way and ate something, and did not doubt any more. She had the conviction that her prayer was answered. As in this case, blessings will come to him who will believe and depend on the word of God as it is. It does not mean that you reason the word and receive it when you find it understandable but that you just receive it with unconditional faith. Faith in the word with absolute positivity creates miracles.

III. Faith with devotion
When God gave Samuel to Hannah as a response to her prayers, she gave him to God. She kept her promise to God. People are used to receiving but reluctant to give, repay and share with others. When Hannah gave her child to God with determination of faith, God recognized her faith and blessed her with 3 more sons and 2 daughters. Until now we have received amazing grace which is so great that we cannot even pay back. Therefore we should live to serve Him from now on. We should serve the church and share with our neighbors who are signaling us, ‘Come and help us'.

I bless you and pray that like Hannah we will also rely on God with prayer, move forward with faith of absolute positivity and live to serve the church and neighbors.