“And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.” (1 Samuel 2:1)

“There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2)

There’s no greater experience in the Christian life than to know that God attends to the cry of His people. It gives us a sense of assurance in knowing that God is right by our side at our lowest points in life. It’s at these points of overwhelming despair that we experience God, as did Hannah.

Hannah went through much tribulation that drove her to supplication. As she sought God, He heard her desperation and gave her gratification. This moved Hannah to dedication and now she will give God adoration.

As Hannah prayed, she said, “My heart rejoiceth in the LORD.” Jesus told his disciples in John 16:24:

“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

After Hannah received her petition from the Lord, she rejoiced in the Lord. Our answered prayers should always bring an overwhelming joy to our souls. Not just because we receive what we want, but because in God answering our prayers, He is glorified (John 14:13-14). Hannah’s rejoicing was in the Lord.

It is evident that this satisfaction wasn’t at all about Hannah. After all, she gave back to the Lord the very petition she desired of God. If our joy in answered prayer isn’t in the fact that God’s Will is being accomplished – we’ve missed the purpose of our prayer life, and our joy isn’t God-centered, but self-centered.

Next Hannah says, “mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.” Notice how Hannah continues to give the Lord adoration by revealing God’s victory through her circumstances. As we experience God, we will walk into an amazing victory over our enemies; which will glorify God and assure our hearts before Him.

King David in Psalms 41:11 states:

“By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.”

Though we, as Children of God, know that the Lord is our Banner, we are to never get uplifted in pride. The temptation will always be there; but as Hannah did, we must always know that “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9).

Finally, Hannah continues her adoration by declaring the Holiness of our God:

“There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.”

I find myself at the close of this devotion, with a loss for words. His Holiness is beyond my comprehension. So Holy is God, all we can do is fall on our face with an overwhelming sense of awe that cannot be explained.

When I think about the Holiness of God, I find myself at one place – the foot of Calvary. It’s at Calvary where our lips are touched with a live coal, our iniquities are taken away, and our sins are purged.

Hannah knew of the Holiness of God; and in knowing, she gave God the adoration, reverence, and Godly fear that He deserves. For:

“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4)