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Singing His Praises
Are you someone who sings when you are happy? The Bible often records people bursting into song at key moments in their lives. Miriam and the women of Israel sing at the shores of the Red Sea after having witnessed God’s mighty salvation (Exod. 15:20, 21). In wonderful poetic language Deborah and Barak extol God’s power over human kings and armies (Judg. 5:1–31). When Mary visits her relative Elizabeth, she breaks out into a song of praise about God and His incredible plan of salvation (Luke 1:46–55). All of these songs share one common denominator, even though they appear in different historical contexts and under distinct circumstances: they all describe what happens when God intervenes in human history and responds to the pleas of His children.
Read 1 Samuel 2:1–11. What is the main theme of Hannah’s song?
Hannah now knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is fully able to control the circumstances of history, as well as her own personal experience. She sees her life from a totally new perspective. Things that others strive for and take as an absolute are in reality very flimsy and could be gone tomorrow. In her song, Hannah makes surprising contrasts to underline the fact that life’s circumstances are not always as they appear. The arrow of the mighty warrior breaks, while the feeble are “girded with strength” (1 Sam. 2:4). Things we give value to are often not as permanent as they appear.
Hannah has found that true security does not depend on circumstances but on knowing our God, who does not change. He is the One who tells us that we each are special. He is the One who gives us value.
Some struggle with verse 6 in Hannah’s song. How do we understand that? Is God arbitrary in His goodness or His judgments? In order to understand these verses, we need to remember the basic Old Testament premise about life. This is so different from the modern worldview: God is the Creator of life, and as Creator He has the right to do whatever He wants with His creation. In other words, nothing on this planet is beyond His control. This means that in the biblical worldview, even negative things are subject to God’s control. Often the biblical authors describe this perspective in a way that could suggest God’s active involvement in the design of bad things happening to humanity. In other words, what God allows, God “does.”
What can you sing about? Write a list of things that you would like to praise God for. The more you praise God, the more thankful you will become for what He has done for you. That’s why praise is so important.
| WEDNESDAY | October 13 |
Are you someone who sings when you are happy? The Bible often records people bursting into song at key moments in their lives. Miriam and the women of Israel sing at the shores of the Red Sea after having witnessed God’s mighty salvation (Exod. 15:20, 21). In wonderful poetic language Deborah and Barak extol God’s power over human kings and armies (Judg. 5:1–31). When Mary visits her relative Elizabeth, she breaks out into a song of praise about God and His incredible plan of salvation (Luke 1:46–55). All of these songs share one common denominator, even though they appear in different historical contexts and under distinct circumstances: they all describe what happens when God intervenes in human history and responds to the pleas of His children.
Read 1 Samuel 2:1–11. What is the main theme of Hannah’s song?
Hannah now knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is fully able to control the circumstances of history, as well as her own personal experience. She sees her life from a totally new perspective. Things that others strive for and take as an absolute are in reality very flimsy and could be gone tomorrow. In her song, Hannah makes surprising contrasts to underline the fact that life’s circumstances are not always as they appear. The arrow of the mighty warrior breaks, while the feeble are “girded with strength” (1 Sam. 2:4). Things we give value to are often not as permanent as they appear.
Hannah has found that true security does not depend on circumstances but on knowing our God, who does not change. He is the One who tells us that we each are special. He is the One who gives us value.
Some struggle with verse 6 in Hannah’s song. How do we understand that? Is God arbitrary in His goodness or His judgments? In order to understand these verses, we need to remember the basic Old Testament premise about life. This is so different from the modern worldview: God is the Creator of life, and as Creator He has the right to do whatever He wants with His creation. In other words, nothing on this planet is beyond His control. This means that in the biblical worldview, even negative things are subject to God’s control. Often the biblical authors describe this perspective in a way that could suggest God’s active involvement in the design of bad things happening to humanity. In other words, what God allows, God “does.”
What can you sing about? Write a list of things that you would like to praise God for. The more you praise God, the more thankful you will become for what He has done for you. That’s why praise is so important.
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