Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 1:19–28
Answered Prayer and Returned Praise
Morning breaks, and with it comes quiet hope. Hannah has prayed, poured out her heart, and surrendered her longing to God. Now, we witness what happens next, not just in her womb, but in her spirit.
“The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to worship before the Lord. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah. Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.” (1 Samuel 1:19, CSB)
The phrase “the Lord remembered her” does not mean He had forgotten. In Hebrew, to be remembered by God means He moved with intention. He acted. Not because Hannah’s words were perfect or poetic, but because they were real. Honest. Offered with an open hand.
This phrase meets us tenderly when we feel forgotten. When our prayers seem to disappear into the silence. When others are receiving what we are still waiting for. The story of Hannah reminds us, He sees. He hears. He remembers.
God’s Timing Is Tender
“After some time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, because she said, ‘I requested him from the Lord.’” (1 Samuel 1:20, CSB)
"After some time." We rush past that line so easily, but those words held Hannah's tears, her daily ache, and the deep faith that had grown in the waiting. Scripture doesn’t tell us how long she waited between her prayer and conception, but we know it wasn’t instant. She had to return home, resume her rhythms, and live in faith before she saw a single sign of answered prayer.
Waiting is rarely passive. It stretches us. It refines us. For many women today, this is where the story hits home. You may be waiting for a child, or perhaps you're single and longing for companionship. Maybe your waiting looks like unanswered prayers for healing, for purpose, for reconciliation, or for justice. Whatever the longing, this part of Hannah’s story speaks deeply.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 gently reminds us:
“He has made everything appropriate in its time.”
God does not delay out of disinterest. His timing is shaped by mercy, preparation, and love. While we’re watching the calendar, God is shaping our character.
Naming the Miracle
“She named him Samuel, because she said, ‘I requested him from the Lord.’” (1 Samuel 1:20, CSB)
There is something profoundly powerful about giving our blessings a name. For Hannah, naming her son Samuel was more than tradition. It was testimony. The very name declared, “God heard me.” Every time she spoke his name, she was reminded of a personal God who meets us in the middle of our mess.
Many of us carry answered prayers quietly. We move on quickly after breakthrough. But what if we took time to name the miracle? What if we wrote it down, spoke it out loud, shared it with a friend? It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Sometimes, the answered prayer is peace when there should be panic. Hope when all seems lost. Courage to face another day. Let us be women who remember.
“You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” (Jeremiah 29:12, CSB)
A Mother Who Remembers Her Promise
“When she had weaned him, she took him with her to Shiloh… and brought the boy to Eli.” (1 Samuel 1:24–25, CSB)
Imagine this moment. Hannah is walking toward the temple holding the child she once thought she’d never have. There’s no indication of hesitation in the text, but can you imagine the emotions that must have surged within her? Joy, sorrow, awe, maybe even fear. She’s not dropping him off for a few hours of Sunday school. She is giving him fully to the Lord’s service.
“I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord gave me what I asked him for, I now give the boy to the Lord. For as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.” (1 Samuel 1:27–28, CSB)
What an act of trust. Of worship. Of surrender. She is not paying God back. She is praising Him forward. This was never a transactional exchange—it was an act of love. True worship doesn’t come from what we’ve earned. It flows from what we’ve entrusted to Him.
For many women, this resonates far beyond motherhood. It’s the story of releasing a dream, offering back a long-awaited calling, or surrendering a relationship. Maybe you’ve prayed for something so long that once it arrives, it feels impossible to let it go. Hannah’s story gently calls us to live open-handed. Not just to receive, but to return.
Romans 12:1 invites us:
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true worship.” (CSB)
Returning to the Giver
“Then he worshiped the Lord there.” (1 Samuel 1:28, CSB)
The chapter ends not with Hannah’s tears but with worship. This is such a small sentence, yet such a powerful image. Worship was not the result of the answered prayer. It was the rhythm of her life. From pleading to praising, Hannah’s faith remained rooted in the goodness of God, not just the gifts of God.
This moment shifts the whole story. Samuel was not just a child born out of longing. He was a seed planted for revival. God would raise him up as a prophet who anointed kings, heard God’s voice, and called a nation to repentance. And it all started with a woman who worshiped and released.
Psalm 116:12–14 says:
“How can I repay the Lord for all the good he has done for me? I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.” (CSB)
What have you received that needs to be returned in praise? Who in your life needs to see you worshiping even as you weep, trusting even as you release?
Let us be women who don’t cling to blessings more than the Blesser. Who worship at every turn, in the waiting, in the receiving, and in the letting go.
Reflection Questions:
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What prayers has God answered in your life that you can name and thank Him for?
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Is there a gift you’ve received that He’s asking you to release or entrust back to Him?
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What would it look like to worship even now, before you see the answer?
Final Encouragement:
Friend, I know waiting can be lonely. Trusting can feel impossible. And worshiping after the answer can feel costly. But you are not alone. The same God who met Hannah in the quiet ache meets you in yours. He sees your tears, your prayers, and your perseverance. He is not absent. He is working even when you cannot see it.
May we, like Hannah, be found worshiping, whether in the temple or the kitchen, whether we are holding a promise or still praying for one. Let your life declare, “God hears me.”
“He who calls you is faithful; he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24, CSB)
Stay tuned for next week as we close the series with Week 4: A Song in the Surrender, where Hannah’s response of worship becomes a song of praise that echoes through generations.
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