“The Lord was kind to Hannah, and she had three sons and two daughters.” (1 Samuel 2:21)
Just before the focus of the book of 1 Samuel shifts from Hannah and her family to Samuel and his “career”, we read that the Lord blessed Hannah abundantly.
After Samuel, she had five other children! So, God literally made her fruitful. But Hannah was fruitful in another way as well. The story about her trusting faith in the Lord and her song of praise after He had fulfilled her heart’s desire, have inspired later generations of believers.
For example, when Jesus’ mother Mary was told that she would become the mother of the Son of the Most High, she expressed her wonder and joy in a song. Mary’s song is so similar to Hannah’s, that she must have known it and been inspired by it. These two women lived about 1000 years apart, but they shared the same experience that God blessed a humble, ordinary woman in an extraordinary way. Their faith in God their Savior, who is merciful and gracious and mighty, brought them together.
Hannah had trusting faith in the Lord, she kept her vows, and she worshiped God for his goodness in her life. Are you inspired by her example?