April 9, 2025 - Lord of Heaven's Armies

1 SAMUEL 1:9-4:11

Chronological Bible Readings

1 Samuel 1:10 Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. 11 And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”

What a powerful prayer to the "Lord of Heaven's Armies". In her anguish she did not cry out to the God of all Comfort, the Creator and Provider of all things, or even the Sovereign God. She called on the one who commands the heaven's armies. Such a strong image to hold onto when we are in anguish. When we are suffering and needing anything.

1 Samuel 2:9 “He will protect his faithful ones,

    but the wicked will disappear in darkness.

No one will succeed by strength alone.

10     Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.

He thunders against them from heaven;

    the Lord judges throughout the earth.

He gives power to his king;

    he increases the strength of his anointed one.”

After taking her son back to Eli as she had promised she prays another powerful prayer. She knows God in so many strong and powerful ways. How great it is to know God so well that you understand His power, provision, protection, strength, and sovereignty. The better and more thoroughly we know God the better we can respond with trust and obedience to Him.

Lord give me a heart like Hannah that trusts in you in every possible way so that I might be able to respond to you in trust and obedience no matter how difficult the task.