Superhero Sidekicks: Biblical Characters Who Did Big and Small Things for GodSample

Hannah

Let’s meet Hannah. She’s only mentioned a couple times in the Bible, but she’s an important person to know about because she’s the prophet Samuel’s mom. 

Moms are super important people. And many of them are superheroes, too! But it’s easy to take them for granted or to forget about the ways that a lot of moms serve their families every day. 

Hannah wasn’t able to have kids, and this made her really sad. She cried and prayed to God, asking that He would give her a son. Then she told God that if He did give her a son, she’d give him back to God and have him serve God for his whole life.

And guess what? God heard her cries! He answered her prayers and gave her a baby boy: Samuel. When Samuel was old enough, Hannah gave him back to God just like she’d promised, and he lived at the temple with Eli the priest. 

Samuel served God all the days of his life, and he became an amazing prophet who served God well. He even anointed Israel’s first king, Saul, and later anointed the shepherd boy David who would one day kill Goliath and then grow up to be Israel’s next king. 

God used Samuel in a lot of amazing ways, and you can read more about them in 1 and 2 Samuel with your parents. But Samuel can’t get all the credit; his mother’s prayers had a lot of influence in his life. It’s a good reminder that no matter who we are or what we do, God can hear and answer our prayers in amazing ways! 

Family focus:

• What’s something you can ask God to do in your own life? If He answers and gives you what you want, would you be willing to give it right back to Him, just like Hannah did?
• Prayer is powerful. What can you be praying for faithfully, just like Hannah?