Time to Praise

"'I asked the LORD to give me this boy,

and he has granted my request.

Now I am giving him to the LORD,

and he will belong to the LORD his whole life.'

And they worshiped the LORD there.

Then Hannah prayed:

'My heart rejoices in the Lord!'"

1 Samuel 1:26-2:1

Solomon recorded his deep thoughts about the seasons of life.  He said, "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT)  None of us are exempt from death, heartache or loss. Each of us experiences laughter, tears and anger.  Every action is appropriate in certain times of life.  

I often think in such a way about the praise I give to God as well.  It's easy to honor God and extol His goodness when my life is going well.  Hannah modeled a more appropriate time to lift His name on high, however, and its not a time I would usually think about stopping and giving praise to God.  She intentionally rejoiced in the Lord at a time that must have been quite stressful and heartbreaking for her as a new mother.  She praised the Lord in the moment of her greatest loss, her selfless act of surrender, her unspeakable sacrifice made out of gratitude to the God she loved.

Instead of feeling sorry for herself or second-guessing her decision, Hannah wholeheartedly praised the Lord while she gave her only, beloved son, the gift given by a merciful God, back in service to Him.  The boy would never again sit at her table, or sleep under her roof, or play on her floor.  She would miss out on seeing him grow into a man.  Still, her heart rejoiced.  For what?  For all she knew about the Lord.

He Saves

I was at the end of my rope, although I was ignorant of this reality.  I was helpless to save myself, drowning in my own sin.  At just the right time, Jesus came to give His life as a sacrifice for me. (Romans 5:6)  He took the punishment my sin deserves so that when I realized the depth of my depravity and my great need for a Savior to rescue me from certain death, I could accept the lifeline He so mercifully offered.  As I grabbed hold, I entered from death into life. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

God is by definition a Savior.  David wrote a song about this aspect of the Lord after he was mercifully rescued from the hand of Saul who was out for his blood.  "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."  (Psalm 18:2)

In the same way that David experienced first-hand this saving character trait of God, I too can taste His deliverance if I let Him.  Not only can I experience true freedom from guilt and the heavy burden of works that comes through faith in Christ, but I can also be freed from despair, heartache or a meaningless living.  He is not a one-time Deliverer, but a perpetual Savior.  

Therefore, when I feel as if I am deep in the darkness, unable to move forward and seemingly destined to stay in the pit, I can find help from the God who saves.  I can refocus my attention on Him instead of only concentrating on the suffering that seems to define my life.  Keeping my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith, serves as a lifeline that will pull me up out of the mire.  (Psalm 40:2)

Similarly, when it seems I will never be free from the pain that pierces my heart, destined to mourn my loss for the rest of my days, my Deliverer hears my cry and begins the healing process.  Slowly, the pain subsides and the wounds are knitted together until I find myself singing a song of joy.

He also is the only One who can release me from a mundane life.  Instead of living for myself and working only to provide for my needs, He will usher me into a way of life that brings joy, grace and never-ending mercy as I serve Him wholeheartedly.  While I used to focus on what the world told me was important, my Deliverer shows me the futility of living such a life and ushers me into a garden of peace as I delight in His presence.  

In the same way that Hannah praised God in the midst of difficulty, I can lift up His name as my Deliverer, no matter my circumstances.

He is Holy

Set apart.

Sanctified.

Higher.

Perfect.

Hallowed.

Divine.

These are some words that can describe what it means for God to be holy.  As such a God whose ways are higher than mine, and whose thoughts are far superior to mine, I must constantly keep this holiness of His in mind. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

He has resources of which I know nothing.  Due to His superiority, I can't begin to fathom how He will work out a situation, bring about healing or provide for my needs.  It is not my place to understand how He will do something; that is my Father's business.  Instead, as His dearly-loved child, it is my place to fully rely on Him, expecting great things from Him.  (Matthew 6:32-33)

Many times, however, I limit God.  I expect circumstances to work out in a way that I understand, or according to what I've experienced or already know.  If I don't give God room to be God, I won't get to see Him work in ways that blow my mind.  If I only expect the ordinary, I will never get to see His extraordinary ways.  If I don't give Him a chance to work, instead providing for my own needs and solving my own problems, I miss out on the awesome privilege of soaring on wings like eagles.  (Isaiah 40:31)

In the same way that Hannah praised God in the midst of difficulty, I can lift up His holy name, expecting the unexpected from a God whose ways are unfathomable.

He is Sovereign

He worked hard to build up his savings, investing money for the future.  He did everything the financial experts advised.  On that infamous day, however, he lost much of the nest egg he had worked so hard to grow.  The man who was wise in the eyes of the world had failed to take into account the sovereignty of God and ended up being proved as the fool he was. (Luke 12:13-21)

It's easy for me to think my position is secure.  After all, I have plenty of insurance to cover any and every possible tragedy and there is sufficient money tucked away in different accounts to provide for me and my family for the rest of my life.  I'm sittin' pretty, I think.  Then the stock market crashes, or terrorists attack, or some other catastrophic event occurs.  Hmm, I didn't think of that, I realize as my whole world crumbles down around me.

Only God can give life. (Deuteronomy 32:39) He extends mercy to those upon whom He desires to have mercy. (Romans 9:15) He brings the rain or withholds it, depending upon His plan. (Amos 4:7) I cannot even take a breath without Him granting it to me. (Job 12:10) I am completely at His mercy.

Each of us are living in a world that was created by God.  This is not my world, but my Father's.  Therefore, I must remember that nothing happens outside of His knowledge and anything that enters into my life must first pass through His hands for approval.  Since He is a good God, then, I can rejoice in His provision. (Psalm 136:1) I can rest easy in His strong and competent hands.  I can let Him have control, letting go of my own feeble attempts to somehow manipulate His creation to fit into my own plan.

In the same way that Hannah praised God in the midst of difficulty, I can lift Him up as sovereign over all things, willingly giving control over to Him.

I don't easily think of praising God when the going gets tough.  Instead of focusing on my circumstances, however, I can begin to do as Hannah did, and praise God for who He is, no matter my situation.  I can remember His saving, holy, and sovereign nature, making every moment the perfect time to give Him praise.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God despite what I see going on around me.

When do I expect ordinary things from God instead of watching for amazing feats of His might?

How do I limit God in my day-to-day life?