One of the best ways that we can grow our prayer life is to observe and study the prayers lifted up by the saints in Scripture. One such prayer is found in 1 Samuel 2 and is voiced by Hannah, the mother of Samuel. In 1 Samuel 1, we see that she prayed and wept before the Lord, asking Him to give her a son. And when God responded with the birth of Samuel, she promised to give him back to the Lord. This was no empty promise, for Hannah honored her word and brought her son to live with the priest Eli in the house of the Lord.

She then prays an amazing prayer that acknowledges the character of God. It begins like this:

1 Then Hannah prayed and said:
"My heart rejoices in the LORD;
in the LORD my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.

2 "There is no one holy like the LORD;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.

She has just given God the one thing she wanted more than any other - a son - yet her soul is still able to lift up her Maker simply for who He is. Even though she is making such an extravagant sacrifice, she is not consumed with her own emotions and demands. Rather, she pauses to reflect on the character and sovereign nature of God. How refreshing her words of praise must have been to the ear of God, who spends so much of His time listening to our selfish requests. So what would happen if all of us today adopted the heart of Hannah and prayed simply to praise?

Prayer for the Day:
Father God, You are glorious and powerful. You are holy and righteous. You are everything we in our humanity are not. We praise You for Your matchless worth. We worship You for your infinite nature. You are God, and there is truly no one like You.