Hannah's Prayer: God's Control

Hannah's experiences have taught her something important about who is really in control of the world and of individual lives: God.

God knows all, Hannah proclaims. He weighs the actions of every person; nothing is hidden from Him. And because of Him, because of the knowledge He has and the decisions He makes, individual lives can change in the blink of an eye.

Mighty and arrogant ones fall. Weak ones become strong. Those who had plenty suddenly have nothing. Those who had nothing suddenly have much. The barren woman becomes the mother of many children. The mother of many children languishes as her children are taken from her.

And this is all God's doing. He knows exactly what to do and when to do it that each person may have exactly what he or she needs when he or she needs it. Sometimes God's actions may not feel good. They may hurt. They may seem evil and horrible to the person affected, but they never are. God always does what is best for His people even when He must discipline and correct them, even when they must suffer in order to learn and grow.

Indeed, as Hannah says, the Lord takes life and gives it, brings low and raises up, and He knows what He's doing every single time. He is in control; He is our Rock; and we must trust Him completely.

(1 Samuel 2:1-8 – NRSV-CE)