Highest Praise
Scripture: I Sam 2:1-10
Reflection: What do you do
with a gift bigger than your dream? Give it back to the giver for safe keeping.
Our scripture today points to
the possibility that Hannah may have penned what we now know as “The
Magnificat”. Hannah’s song is indeed every woman’s song; every woman who has
yearned for the one gift that sets woman (in her gendered role) apart. In a culture
that prized children over material worth, her barrenness rendered her poorer
than poor. In this situation all of her husband’s love was poor consolation.
She had a hunger and a desperation that required a miracle and a miracle
worker.
Enter God.
Like a skilled juggler, God
begins lifting and throwing and catching. If you have watched jugglers at work
you know the act is best done with light weight materials. So the mighty, “the
do-it-youselfers”, the “filled-to the gills with pride”; these were dropping
and breaking and being discarded by the Almighty. Even the Almighty couldn’t
carry them. But the “I need thee every hourers”, the weak; these were being
held in the mighty arms of Jehovah, and Hannah was among them. Girded with the
strength of the Lord she could let all 32 of her teeth show as she breaks into
song that celebrates the strength of the Lord; the Lord who looks to the way
(literally feet) of the humble. Knowing the source of her gift, she brings him
back with exultant thanksgiving.
But what was she thinking?
Didn’t she know how dangerous it is to give a man child to God? Perhaps she
knew; knew well this God who kills and brings back to life and said “Yes”.
Prayer: Dear Lord,
Please help me to hold lightly to the gifts you give to me. Amen.
Dr. Esther Acolatse 
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