Daily Christian Devotional

22 December, 2025

1 Samuel 1.24-end, Psalm 113, Luke 1.46-56

In 1 Samuel, we witness Hannah’s faithful promise fulfilled. After years of longing, she dedicates her son Samuel to the Lord, entrusting him entirely to God’s purposes. Her act reminds us that God’s blessings are not only gifts to be received, but responsibilities to be offered back in gratitude and obedience. Faith is lived out in the rhythms of trust, patience, and surrender.

Psalm 113 echoes this theme of God’s lifting power. From the dust, God raises the poor and needy, placing them in high places and filling the hungry with good things. God’s glory is seen not in wealth or status, but in mercy and justice. Praise rises for a Lord who turns despair into hope and emptiness into abundance.

In Luke, Mary’s Magnificat magnifies this same truth. Her song celebrates God’s mercy, justice, and faithfulness, rejoicing that the humble are lifted and the mighty scattered. Like Hannah, Mary responds to God’s work in her life with trust, praise, and willingness to participate in divine purposes.

As followers of Christ, we are called to offer our lives, talents, and hearts to God’s service. May we, like Hannah and Mary, respond with gratitude, praise, and faithful obedience, trusting that God’s mercy transforms both our lives and the world around us.