We end our series of readings through the book of Ruth with another extract of Hannah’s song, which has book ended our meditations.
Hannah’s story of childlessness, heartbroken prayer, and God’s answer in the birth of Samuel, results in this incredible song of praise. Hannah takes her experiences of life and God and turns them into statements about God that hold true for all times and all places. Hannah speaks of God’s power over all of life – life and death, poverty and wealth. Hannah sings of God being active on behalf of the poor and needy.
But Hannah’s song – truths about God from her own experience – are now recorded for us as scripture and these words encourage us to take these truths about God, apply them to our own circumstances, and allow them to speak hope into lives. As with the book of Ruth, Hannah’s story speaks about the activity of God in the life of individuals, and their stories commend to us a way of living, of viewing the world, in which we trust that God is active and in control of all things.
So as we close our reflections in this series of readings, we take the words of Hannah’s song and we apply them to our own circumstances: believing that God is the one who has power over all things, and trusting that in our need and our poverty, God is at work in our lives. Yes, God has laid the foundation for the earth and has set the world in place. But he is also the God who provides a firm foundation for our lives, who sets us in place in the world. He is a God who is at work to bless and to save life.
May our lives also overflow with praise for who God is and what he has done for us, and may we trust him to be this God of blessing and salvation in the areas of our lives where we are in such need of his presence and power.
