What do you do with the good gifts that the Lord gives to you? If you believe that your things belong to you, you will fight hard to keep them. If you believe that your things belong to the Lord, you will do all that you can to honor Him with them.

I. The Story - Hannah returns Samuel to the Lord

- The next day, Hannah worships the Lord before she is pregnant with Samuel (v19)

- Her worship is before her prayer is answered.

- God "remembers" Hannah's prayer. Samuel is conceived. Hannah names the baby Samuel for she said "I have asked for him from the Lord" (v20)

“This does not suggest that God had previously forgotten Hannah or that He was too busy running the universe to pay attention to her needs before she pointed them out. It means, rather, that God was mindful of her prayer and ordered events to work in blessing for Hannah.” - Richard Phillips

- Elkanah (Hannah's husband) "May the Lord establish His word". Meaning to all of us, not just for Samuel alone. (v23)

"It is the husband’s responsibility to decide whether he should ‘confirm’ his wife’s oath or ‘annul’ it; here it is the husband who wants the vow to be confirmed.” - David Tsumura

- After Samuel is weaned (about 3-4 years) and Hannah brings him to Eli, the Lord's

high priest at Shiloh, to serve the Lord for the rest of his life. (v24-28)

Application

1. Pray - but not these ways

- don't pray enough

- pray for the wrong things (what God doesn't want for you)

- over estimate your spiritual maturity

- assume God's motives. "God, if you really love me you will give me exactly what I want"

2. Receive - how?

- Acknowledge God as the Giver

- Give thanks in word and action (Colossians 4:2)

3. Worship

- Everything God thing is from the Lord and for His glory. Therefore, serve God with what He has given you.