Afterward
“My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord, my mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation.” 1 Samuel 2:1 NASB
Exults – “Exults” isn’t a common expression for us. We might substitute “rejoices,” but neither of these really captures what Hannah feels. In Proverbs the word is translated “triumph.” In the Psalms it is associated with singing, making a joyful sound and other jubilant expressions. This Hebrew word has a big umbrella. It is a word that describes some kind of powerful, positive emotional response. I’m pretty sure it would also cover running up to a long lost son and throwing arms around him while tears stream down the cheeks. I wouldn’t be surprised to find the word used when we come into the presence of YHVH on the day of the Great Throne. I am sure that this word was on the lips of the women when they encountered the risen Messiah in the garden.
Just pretend you’re Hannah for a moment. Your unutterable agony in prayer has resulted in the birth of a child. Drunk in the spirit leads to God’s graciousness. And now you are paying Him back. This son of yours will become His. You are giving away the child you longed for. How does that make you feel? Are you rejoicing? Are you exulting? That seems quite unusual, wouldn’t you say? It seems much more likely that on this day, the day of separation, any mother would be grieving. But not Hannah. Why? The answer come from that previous prayer, the one that the priest thought was the mocking expression of a drunk. Hannah is a woman who knows what it means to find the loving heart of the Lord. Hannah knows personal grace. Hannah understands total dependence. Samuel is a gift; a gift of supreme favor; a gift of unspeakable answer. Samuel does not belong to his mother. He belongs to the gift giver. Hannah is merely the custodian of this physical manifestation of God’s wonderful care. You see, for Hannah it isn’t necessary to hold on to Samuel. It is only necessary to hold on to the fact that God heard and answered. The birth of Samuel is the absolute guarantee that God cares. That is worth gripping. “Thank you, Father, for showing me Your compassion, for allowing me to carry Your favor to me.” This mother holds loosely to the gift but clutches the giver.
Do you suppose we could do the same? Hannah’s silent prayer is considered the epitome of prayer, but it seems that we cannot appreciate the depth of her prayer without including the act of her release. When is God’s gift the sweetest? Perhaps it is when we are able to let go of the gift because we are enamored with the giver. Perhaps the real answer to prayer is not what God does for us but what we give back to Him.
Has God shown you favor? Did He answer those agonizing moments in your life when you felt as though your very existence lacked fulfillment and purpose? Then suddenly He heard. His hand blessed you. You rejoiced. Is that the end of the story? Or is there one more page—answered prayer returned?
Topical Index: prayer, Hannah, exult, 1 Samuel 2:1, ‘alats
Exulting. This I lack.
YHVH – create in me a clean heart, that I may
see and know the wonders of your life in me, for you.
God delivered me from smoking during a fast, and when I knew I was delivered, I fasted the rest of the day for HIM. God is soooo gracious to us….
In the story The Gift Of The Magi, by O Henry, two very poor people sell what is most precious to them in order to buy what they think is most precious to the other, but in the process, they end up without the point of their respective gifts. The only thing she has is her beautiful hair; the only possession he has is his father’s watch. She sells her hair to buy him a chain for the watch so that he won’t lose it, but he has sold his watch to buy a beautiful hair pin for her hair.
Its a frustrating story for us on the outside, but I am quite sure that the point of the story is not the hair or the watch, and I am also sure that that was a beautiful Christmas for them, for they still had what was most important of all: each other.
We only possess what we give away. I don’t know which TW it was that Skip wrote about this, but in Hebrew, it seems, something is not considered yours unless and until you part with it. While it is still in your possession, anything could happen to it. Something is only proven really ours the day we prove it was enough ours to give. Frustrating logic for us in the West, for sure, but it does add something to the saying we have that goes “There’s nothing sure but death and taxes”. A Hebrew could add “and what we managed to give away”.
I think we can get confused about blessings. Blessings are granted to us, like pocket money by an indulgent Father, so that we can experience for ourselves the blessing of turning around and bestowing them again. That is where the real blessing lies, which heaven knows perfectly well. Samuel became truly Hannah’s the day she took him to the tabernacle. That which we cannot hold lightly runs a danger of, like the poem says, becoming a necessity, and consequently to start clinging to us – too tightly. I think there’s a fine line between what we possess and what possesses us.
Hi Skip and others,
Rejoice – exult, share out of excitement are my take-away from the two recent essays by you.
-Four decades ago I was in the 200-voice Choral Union at Wayne State University. We performed “The Magnificat” by Vivaldi at a Detroit cathedral. “My soul rejoices in God my Savior,” is what the Magnificat is said to express in musical form. As a fan of “classical music” the arrangement and performance elicited a feeling of joy on my part both in participating and in being able to simultaneously hear our effort.
-Within a couple years, I was in the depths of despair over feeling isolated from others when attending a “Big 10” University. Sobbing on one occasion, I expressed my frustrations to YHVH.
Myrium (Mary) rejoiced that she would be giving birth to Yeshua, the Father rejoiced when his delinquent son of many years showed up, but we can assume he also expressed his disappointment during his son’s delinquency brought on by the son’s demands for his heritage! the women rejoiced on realizing Yeshua had risen, but wept at the scene of His crucifiction. YHVH will rejoice in knowing we are with Him forever on the last day. Hannah rejoiced at the birth of Samuel and in giving him back to YHVH.
Also, longing to live with the Master forever as He longs for us replaces the longing to hear, Well done good and faithful servant. I am certain there is a place for both to occur; it seems though shared intimacy is the spark that motivates commitment.
Reserve or containment seem a western ideal whereas spilling over may be a Hebraic bi-product of the relationship experience with YHVH and us his son(s) and daughter(s). As we used to say back “in the day” 🙂 – right on!!
May we exude the joy of the Lord today!
David R
Skip, this TW ministered to me in many ways and deep places. Thanks.
YHWH is King!
I have been recently thinking and celebrating the joy that our Abba gives. Joy is considered the highest mood in Judaism. I wondered where they learned this mood from? 🙂
I would like to share a few passages about joy from the Messianic Scriptures and then make a few comments.
Angel declaration at the birth of Messiah: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy.” . . . Luke 2:10 (megas joy)
How to handle trials of various kinds: “Count it all joy.” . . . James 1:2 (pas joy)
Our presentation before Abba at the end of this age and the beginning of a new one: “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.” . . . Jude 1:24 (agaliasis joy)
Great/megas joy is proclaimed by an angelic messenger at the birth of Messiah to the shepherds for all people. In our journey with the Messiah and His people, we will encounter various kinds of trials. Our response? Count it all/pas joy! When we all come to the end of our journey not stumbling and blameless, we will be presented to the Father with extreme/agaliasis joy.
Joy is a major theme of the King’s kingdom. The angels seem to enjoy it, too! Joy is not unaware of the darkness of our world or the varied trials we walk through, but is vividly aware that the great King of light has come and is now with us in the presence of the Ruach HaKodesh.
Great; All; Extreme! This is the measure of joy we find in the Father’s heart. This fullness of joy is found in His giving of Messiah. All joy is found and is our strength and steadfastness when we realize the varied trials is for our perfection and completed faith which lacks nothing. The Messiah’s great joy will be found when he presents us to Abba blameless and giving us back to the One who is the initiator of extreme joy.
YHWH is King!