Journey of Prayer : Day 16
Day 16
Forty Day Journey of Prayer
Monday, January 25, 2021
As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk…But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1: 13-15.
For the full story, read 1 Samuel 1: 1-20.
What a lesson in “prayer workout” we receive from Hannah today. The older I’ve become, the more I find prayer really is the key to all. It is highly underrated by so many yet it is accessible 24/7, requires no equipment, and is a direct line to the One who hears every prayer and cares about our heart’s desire more than we can understand. So like Hannah, why would we NOT take time every single day to focus and fervently pour it all out in prayer?
As I researched Hannah a bit, I came across four overall lessons we can glean from her story (biblestudytools.com). Here they are in a nutshell:
Be persistent in prayer. 1 Samuel 1:12 states she kept on praying to the Lord. They were not just “one and done” but she prayed with an intensity and focus. 1 Samuel 1:15 states she “poured her soul before the Lord”. God calls for us to persistently pray for strength, wisdom and petition our requests with consistency, confidence, and steadfastness.
Surrender your all before God. Hannah did not hold back any thought or emotion from the Lord. 1 Samuel 1:16 says “ I have been praying here out of great anguish and grief.” Although God already knew everything about Hannah, she still surrendered all her thoughts and raw emotion to Him. He is not asking us to sugar-coat where we are. He can handle every weight and burden we carry.
Remember God’s faithfulness. Samuel 2:2 says, “there is no Holy One like the Lord, no one besides you.” That is full of thankfulness and praise for His faithfulness. Even after God granted Hannah the blessing of her son, she continued to give God praise. Thanking Him for continued blessing keeps us connected and encouraged that He is still with us.
Speak victory despite opposition. Hannah was taunted by Elkanah’s second wife for being barren yet instead of loosing hope, she kept praying and seeking the Lord. Walking in victory doesn’t mean our challenges have suddenly disappeared, but it does mean we have decided to not let them consume us. We allow God to guide us day by day through our different seasons of life.
Ladies, I don’t know where you are in your life or what is on your prayer list before you. I suspect we have loved ones that are lost, grieving hearts, financial insecurity, health issues, relationships issues, heart’s desires that are currently un met, fears, anxieties, circumstances, and just messes we are all praying over. Let’s take a cue from Hannah today and intentionally meet the Lord in prayer and pour our souls completely out at His feet. Let’s continue to do this day after day believing He will answer in His way and time no matter what the opposition says.
For further reading: Exodus 2:23-25; Psalm 142:1-2.
Sovereign Lord,
Thank You for always listening and caring about the most minute details of our lives. We trust You with every inch of our beings. We are grateful we can come to You with the ugliest stuff we have and pout it our at You feet where we are met with Your loving, caring arms. Keep us steadfast today in our prayers knowing You will answer in a better way than we can even imagine. Be with those that are particularly struggling today by giving them little drip drop of living water that will keep them rooted in You. Amen
