I’m taking two classes right now. In one we are studying 1&2 Samuel and the other, Luke-Acts. One from the Old and one from the New Testament.
On the first pages of both of these books, one thing you notice when you start reading is that two women have prominent roles as the stories get underway.
On the first pages of Samuel, we find Hannah.
And on the first pages of Luke, we find Mary.
And it turns out that they are proclaiming similar messages. Both have words of hope for the hopeless.
When you’re hopeless, it’s hard to imagine something new, because hopelessness imprisons imagination.
A starving mother can’t conceive how she will feed herself and her baby.
A man drowning in debt and poverty is pushed down lower and lower.
A woman trapped in an abusiveness marriage doesn’t see a way out.
A man unemployed for over a year, doubts that a better resume will make a difference.
A student, the first in her family to attend college, is uncertain she will graduate because she can’t afford to buy textbooks.
A daughter cannot bring herself to trust her lying mother again.
Hopelessness imagines that nothing new can come or will come – or that God will make it come.
What we find in these two songs from Mary and Hannah are women who dared to hope,
but theirs is not some polite, spiritualized hope
and it’s not some cutesy hope
and it’s not some pie-in-the-sky hope.
They boldly proclaimed that there’s a real reason to hope.
Sometimes, in this chaotic world, it’s hard to believe two ancient women might know what they were talking about, but those kinds of doubts didn’t stop them from saying it.
These are women breaking free from hopelessness, bursting forth with new songs.
Both of them were in situations of political chaos. And into the chaos, they sang politically-incorrect messages about the ache of hunger, the dusty nature of poor lives, the hopelessness of existence in the ash heaps.
And somehow, although they were unlikely candidates for hope, their songs soared above the chaos and challenged others who were hopeless to look up and imagine.
As women at the bottom of the societal pyramid of their day, they defiantly attested to hope far greater than the false control, power, domination, and greediness that put them there.
They proclaimed a radical message that said God is reversing the poor and the rich, the weak and the strong, the humble and the proud.
So, what made them sing such valiant songs? Go read these beautiful stories of women who spoke out of their days into ours. 1 Samuel 1 and 2 and Luke 1 and 2.
For Hannah and Mary, hope was fueled by gratitude to God because of what they believed to be true.
Hannah believed in a God who owns the foundations of the earth. Mary believed that the same God acts in history, through Abraham and his descendants, fulfilling promises that bless all the people of the earth.
Hannah and Mary said to hopeless people– this is the God we believe in. And we believe it matters here and now.
Do we have the imagination to believe that what they sang and prayed was true?
Do we believe there’s room for another new song?
Sara,
So happy to find your blog! Reading past posts, this morning. I believe there’s room for another song, & I feel The Holy Spirit is alive & well inside of me, helping me write new lyrics. Corny language maybe, but true. It’s exciting!
I do not believe that there is room for another song because the way they say what there thinking in the first two songs is enough. They say what needs to be said and thats all that needs to be done. The more there is the more it could get confusing, the word of God shows a lot and needs to be put in simple words sometimes for the world to understand it and portray it to life.
Chelsea, Thanks for your comment. I hope some of the other students will interact with your opinion, and we can get into a deeper discussion about the topic.
I believe that there is always room for a new song. Not necessarily about hope but other things to help us cope as well. There are countless passages throughout the bible that have been turned into worship leading songs, many of which we have experienced in chapel here at RC. I think that the songs are important and inspirational and could make all the difference in someone’s life. I find myself a lot of the times tearing up during a song during worship and I believe that the songs are God’s way of “tugging on our hearts.”
Kelcie, I think the songs that have Bible references in them are some of my favorites because they remind me of the ongoing story and how it’s still fresh and new even inour day and time. Thanks for the good comment.
I too believe that there is room for more songs. With how I was raised as a child, songs of worship haven’t been a huge part of my life. However, since I have been attending chapel this year and being introduced to these new worship songs I really am grateful for it. I believe that these songs help us heal or relate to things currently going on in each of our lives. As I sit here and write this one year to the day my cousin was tragically killed a car accident I find myself listening to Christian worship music. I feel that these songs are a way for us to feel even more connected to what God is saying.
Good thoughts Lauren. I’m sorry about your loss and thankful you are finding some comfort in God.
I believe there is room for more songs because there is never enough singing and praising of God. In chapel, we sing new songs which broadens our worship of God. I feel like songs are a way to make us feel closer with God, and to make us feel like God is listening. In class, we talked about how “God blesses”, and I think God blesses each one of us more when we praise and worship him. HE listens when we listen more.
I believe that there is more room for more songs. The women do state how they were thinking in the first two. Songs are a good way of praising God, and you can never go wrong with adding more songs. When we worship God through songs at chapel I feel more connected and in touch with God then I do when I pray on my own. There is more depth and emotions put into prayer when you sing it out rather than reading it from scripture. When we sing in chapel with connected together as a community in a deeper way.
I think there is always room for more songs. No matter the topic, I think there is always a song that can help us out in life and rise above whatever is holding us back.
I would have to say that recently I have been that hopeless person, but lately through the power of God, attending your class, and worship in chapel I feel I have become more connected to Him. I thank God every day for allowing me to wake up that morning and I think everyday He becomes more of a part of my life.
I also believe that there is always room for more songs. Also, i strongly agree with Abbey when she says “songs are a way to make us feel closer to God, and to make us feel like God is listening”. The songs most definitely make me feel like i am closer to God. Before coming to RC I had never heard any songs of worship, but after going to chapels and hearing these songs it makes me feel as if I am being watched over and protected by God.
New songs? Yes. Always. I really do believe that new songs help with a lot of current issues people are struggling with today. In those songs we find guidance and strength. Personally, I know those songs deeply affect me. There are many days where I feel weak. Maybe a test I didn’t do so well on, a practice that I didn’t perform my best at, or just an off day; those are the times where I look to God for the guidance I need; the strength to get me through the day and to wake up the next to conquer whatever weaknesses come my way. It’s those words sung and praised, that I look up to, to let me know God is there through everything no matter what.
Song and worship is a way to praise God. In class, we have learned that worship is important, not only in good times, but bad as well. We have to remember that the Lord is in control. He has a path for us to take and we have to be obedient and listen to that plan. This story also has to deal with Hannah. She could not have a child, but she continued to pray and seek the Lord. In the end, it was all in his timing, and he blessed her with a baby boy. We need to remember to worship the Lord in times of hardship, because God has a plan laid out for us.
That was a very good one Mrs.Barton. I feel like there is always room for more songs. I feel like we all have songs to share with each other that’s happened in our life’s just like Hannah and Mary to show how we can over come the obstacle that make us feel hopeless. I really feel like our song show us the hope of every situation unstead of thinking like there no hope an being hopeless.
I really enjoyed reading your blog and found it both interesting and inspirational. I found that your blog post really connected to different themes in Luke-Acts. It connects to the great reversal because it explains how God reverses the poor and the rich, the weak and the strong, the humble and the proud. It deals with conversion because it shows that these women (Hannah and Mary) had a turning point in their lives. It also connects with the response of faith theme because Mary and Hannah both showed great faith in the Lord that he would help them to overcome the many obstacles they faced. Both of these strong women dared to hope even in the toughest circumstances.