"Hannah was deep in anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD." (1 Samuel 1:10)
Hannah, whose name means grace, pours her heart out to the LORD, petitioning Him for to fulfill her deepest longing. Hannah wanted a child, a man child. Her prayers in both chapter 1 and chapter 2 move me. In chapter one her heart was bitter and in chapter 2 her heart was better, much better.
Hannah prayed in anguish. The word anguish means bitter or bitterness translated in Hebrew as mar. (Remember what Naomi named herself. Ruth 1:20) She was bitter and wept bitterly as she prayed. Naomi had been teased by Peninnah for years. The torture must have been unbearable at times. The constant ridicule she received from the other women because of her barren state brought her to this place of anguish.
Have you ever just had to pray? A time when you could not wait one more minute until you were before the LORD. Hannah got up from her meal to go pray. Scripture tells us she was not even finished eating. ("The she went back and began to eat again, and she was not longer sad." 1:18) This was woman who just had to pray.
I love the picture of Hannah, humbled before the LORD praying intently and fervently. Her prayers were so intentional and fervent she was unaware that Eli was watching. He thought because her lips were moving and there was not sound coming from her mouth that she was drunk. Hannah was praying with desperation in the Spirit before the LORD of Heaven's Armies believing He could give her the desire of her heart.
When we just have to pray we can storm the gates of heaven and speak to LORD of Heaven's Armies with our desperate prayer. We can bitterly, in anguish cry out to Him leaving our brokenness and barrenness before Him. When we leave His presence we can go back to what we were doing better, not bitter, no longer feeling sad. We can look forward to the day that we offer the LORD our prayer of praise, rejoicing and exulting in His mighty power and work in our life.
I love the picture of Hannah, humbled before the LORD praying intently and fervently. Her prayers were so intentional and fervent she was unaware that Eli was watching. He thought because her lips were moving and there was not sound coming from her mouth that she was drunk. Hannah was praying with desperation in the Spirit before the LORD of Heaven's Armies believing He could give her the desire of her heart.
When we just have to pray we can storm the gates of heaven and speak to LORD of Heaven's Armies with our desperate prayer. We can bitterly, in anguish cry out to Him leaving our brokenness and barrenness before Him. When we leave His presence we can go back to what we were doing better, not bitter, no longer feeling sad. We can look forward to the day that we offer the LORD our prayer of praise, rejoicing and exulting in His mighty power and work in our life.
23 Comments:
Beautifully put, Wendy. Hannah's prayers remind me of a note I recently recieved...P.U.S.H. (Pray Until Something Happens). Hannah knew the "Lord of Heaven's armies" would answer her and help her win this battle.
Again, very beautifully put. I like the analogy with with Hannah and Naomi.
Thanks Wendy, and good morning girls!
Nancy
This verse stood out to me as well as my prayers are all falling into the 'desperate' category these days. Unlike Hannah though, I'm struggling with the leaving and no longer feeling sad. Such a great sadness is marking my minutes and my days. I know God is walking with me. I know His presence. I KNOW that the truth of that alone should put a smile on my face and cause me to rejoice, but the reality is that living and seeing suffering every day - so intense - it has me in this holding place of pain.
I will continue to seek Him, and cry out to Him and like Samuel, echo these words, "Speak, LORD, your servant is listening."
Another verse I found interesting in today's reading was 1 Samuel 3:1, "Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon." I've always thought they were more prevelant back then than they are today. Reading scripture it just seems that everyone had a message or vision from the Lord.
Trusting Him with my day and praying for each of you,
Joy
good morning ladies of God! Happy Maundy Thursday!
several lines jumped at me today...
with reference back to my infertility/adopt-2-daughters-from-china/renew-wedding-vows-with-my-husband-on-our-15th-wedding-anniversary story from 2 days ago...remember that my then 7 year old read the sweet Ruth passage 'wherever you go...and your God will be my God'. THEN i read (in a very high squeaky voice with tears streaming down my face, and no doubt blotches all over my neck and chest!) I Samuel 1:27, personalized:
for these children we prayed, and the Lord has granted our request!
we also had it printed on their adoption announcements...wow...i didn't know they were so close to each other in the Bible. i do now! amazing that 2 such important life Scriptures for me fall within 2 days of each other on our journey...
and then hannah finished praying and went away happy, trusting in her God... and i felt the same...redeemed in a way... at first i'd felt like i was unworthy to be a mother, an unspoken fear i had, again whilst dealing with pregnant patients all day and night, many who seemed so nonchalant and cavalier and thought lightly about being pregnant... it was so shaking and so unsettling and so sad for me... yet once my girls came into my life, God winked at me and said 'I had something special planned for you' and somehow i felt redeemed, like i had the 'deluxe package', like by waiting He gave me double for my trouble (like job!)... and in true Godincidence form, i am able to share my experiences with my patients who have infertility or loss issues, and it all comes around! He's so smart!!
i also resonated with ISam2:30-
I will honor those who honor Me, but I will despise those who THINK LIGHTLY of Me.
that seems very harrowing...this world does seem to think lightly of God, not honoring nor revering Him. outright dishonoring Him, mocking Him. much like the events we recall today and tomorrow... mocking our Lord, the horrific beatings and humiliation He endured for us. please let me never take what He did for me lightly or casually. today we will ponder and reflect on Jesus' sacrifice for us. we are attending a show 'behold the Lamb'in rememberance... may we all be blessed as we remember, and honor our Lord and His Great Love for us, borne on a cross...
love,
amy jane
Just came back to add an additional thought. For many of us reading today's scripture, we will be able to remember the day we stood at the front of a church and dedicated our child/childen to the Lord. Wondering what that still means to us today. That one time act, requires daily action. I find that now with my son almost 17 years old, there are continually new areas in which I have to again place him in God's hands and remember my promise of dedication when he was just an infant and seemed so innocent. I too, dedicated him to the Lord for his entire life, just like Hannah, and that might mean the Lord's plans for Him won't be my plans, but they will be for his best and His glory.
Just wanted to add that thought.
Bless you all,
Joy
Hi all. I was contrasting Hannah's prayers for her son versus Eli's seemingly absence of prayers for his.
We must be vigilant in praying for our children. Blessing and success lies there.
Off to work!
Morgen - MN
Good Morning Ladies,
Wendy I love the bitter, better part. The story of Hannah is so precious to me because I held on to it so much for years. When we were married & starting our family. I had a high risk pregnancy and was put on total bed rest for the last 16 weeks. I found a beautiful book with daily meditations on the book of Samuel. I felt that “had to pray feeling” so often.
I went into premature labor that wouldn’t stop 6 weeks too soon. After 36 hours it because very dangerous for my son and I. They did an emergency c-section and whisk him away. To make a long story short, I had to pray and trust. He had a really hard beginning. He was 4 #, hole in his lung, and looked like a wrinkled old man, but he was alive and God blessed us with “better, not bitter”. After a week I went home but he stayed additional time.
Here is where God just answered my Hannah prayers beyond expectations. We went to pick him up and were waiting in a small room. Off to the side a family gathers around the mother hold her infant. They were all crying and solemn. We were curious and asked the nurse what was going on. She explained that the child was not expected to make it through the hour; there was nothing they could do for her.
At that moment “Better, not bitter”, I cried out ‘Why God, why does my child live and theirs die’, I don’t understand. Did I pray more, what makes my child special? After many years of trying to understand this, I was able to come to a couple thoughts:
• that baby severed her purpose for the Lord in many ways, look at the lives she impacted
• she is waiting in heaven for her family
• my child was given a chance to do something more for God, I am left with the task of doing all I can to encourage him to follow God
I documented everything in the book that I was reading. It is a testimony to go back and read the wonders of my Father. My son loves to read it as well.
Praying for those of you who have mentioned needs,
Luvs,
Diane
Good Morning...
Wendy, I loved what you wrote this morning! Thank you! The comments have been so good too! I can't wait to pop back in later on and read some more! The different nuggets from you all allow God's Word to come more alive to me. Thank you!
There was a time that I "got up and went to pray." I was "in deep anguish,...as [I] prayed to the LORD." My first reaction at the moment was to call my sister. But, instead I left to go on a walk. I remember this like it was yesterday. I began praying and calling out to the LORD...why? why??? Going over everything with him...laying it all out before him. As I was praying, I know the Spirit led me, to begin rejoicing him and praising him for the situation. I can't explain it, but about 3/4 of the way home "my heart rejoice[d] in the LORD! He [rescued me] and I felt somehow the situation would take care of itself, even tho I had know idea how that could possibly happen. I left anguished and came home joyful. I let everything out to God. I realized at that moment the situation was in His Hands. He had allowed it to happen for a reason, and He would take care of the details... At that time I saw so clearly how GOING to my Father was the best approach.
I loved the turn-around God with dear Hannah...
A few of my high-lights today:
"My heart rejoices in the LORD!"
"For all the earth is the LORD's,
and he has set the world in order."
"He will protect his faithful ones,"
"Those who fight against the LORD will be shattered."
"the LORD judges throughout the earth."
Ya'll have a great day...Let our hearts rejoice in the LORD!
Lori - Mesa, AZ
Love your story Diane! We were typing at the same time! What a testiimony for your son to hear...and a neat keepsake (book) to pass down with him.
Lori
Di...i love your son's birth story...how beautiful and touching...thank you for sharing it...
i know what you mean when you thought 'why will their child die, when mine is recovering?'... i just had this line of thinking in church on sunday...
we'd had a wonderful day. my girls had spent the day at the dance studio, having private lessons with our ballet master (wow, wow, wow... i am humbled by their talent, but there is not enough room on the entire internet for me to expound on my maternal pride in them... :) ). we were now at church thanking God for the good news we'd received that my oldest would be doing a solo in a 7 state regional dance competition...thank You God! she was there smiling, being an altar girl. my little one was paying such close attention to every word of the service, eagerly awaiting her own first Holy Communion in 2 weeks, and i was basking in the glow of the Father's love... when BAM! i had one of the moments you described, dianne...
the parishoners were coming to the altar for communion, and a young father was helping his daughter come forward to recieve...his beautiful daughter with obvious cerebral palsy, using every muscle she had to clumsily, awkwardly, exhaustingly come to the altar (there are many sermons right there, arent there?)...she was working so hard, she was sweating and drooling and grunting with each difficult step, and she was so proud and had such dignity to be able to come forward, and it was at an obvious 'cost' to do so. it would've been much easier to have the priest come to her pew to serve her, or to forego communion, or to leave her at home, as it was such an obvious physical production to enable her in her efforts....yet she and her family HONORED God so much with these efforts. (remembering ISam 2:30 again)
well, as she passed by me i had that moment...'why God is their child so physically challenged, while my children (who were sorely malnurished and underdeveloped in their 3rd world orphanages) now are publically celebrated for their physical abilities and strength?' i wept ... in thankfulness for my strong, healthy children, and for the family that clearly is celebrating their child as well... for the beautiful statement her lifeand their efforts make in every onerous task she undertakes, those that i take for granted ...
after she received communion and started the long, energy requiring trip back to her seat, several young adolescents were behind her in line and received communion with a very laissez-faire attitude; now i don't presume to know their hearts, however they appeared to be taking the ritual very lightly...the dicotomy again wrenched my heart...
please don't ever let me take for granted the gifts you've given me...my Salvation, my legs (as short and cellulitic as they may be!), my family, my very life... i don't pretend to understand. Your ways are higher than my ways...
so humbled,
amy jane
Ladies,
Thank you for sharing your stories! Diane and Amy Jane, your stories are truly inspiring! And yes Morgen, we must indeed be vigilant in praying for our children!
It is as you know a persistent prayer for me; that my now adult (22 and 20) daughters renew their relationships with God. That they not THINK LIGHTLY of Him!
My oldest needs prayer as much as my younger daughter, and I need to continually lay their lives in the hands of our Heavenly Father. Joy, you are correct that I remember in these readings, the times when I came before the alter and dedicated the lives of my daughters to Him. They also are His for Life, even if they seem to be “loosely associated with Him” at this point. I underlined that passage each time it appeared today, and also the passage "As Samuel grew up, the LORD was with him".
On this Maundy Thursday I have asked God to open me to new insights about His suffering, death and resurrection, so I may more boldly proclaim Him as the way, the truth and the life. I feel one of the ways I take up my cross to follow Him is the rejection I feel from my youngest daughter. I remember that Jesus loves us even when we reject Him and think lightly of Him and His love and sacrifice for us. I also remember that Jesus forgives us ALL things, as He nailed our debt to the cross. So I must stand ready to forgive as He forgives me.
Lord, help me to make these two truths evident in my life, especially with my daughter. Let your light shine in my heart to give me the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Have a blessed week all! You are each in my prayers.
Karen, Ca
Sit, Pray & Wait.
Wow!! Yesterday's and today's reading are both confirmations for me! I have been married for almost 10 years and just celebrated my 37th birthday and have been waiting so long to have children but as of late I have added non-ceasing prayers to the sitting and waiting.
In Ruth 4:13 tells us that when Boaz slept with his wife Ruth, that the LORD enabled her to become pregnant. Then after Hannah's desperate prayer to the Lord for a son, Samuel 1:19 lets us know that when Hannah's husband Elkanah slept with the, the LORD remembered her plea, and in due time she gave birth to a son.
This declares to me today that no matter what the medical professionals say, the LORD is in full control and he has the last say!!
Ladies, I am scheduled for a surgery on April 20th to have some fibroids removed. The physician is also going to investigate the one remaining tube that wasn't functionable at the time the first tube was removed in April 2000 (coincidence, another April). My only request today is that you pray and believe with me that not only the surgery would be successful, but also that the remaining tube will be in a full functionable condition and will not need to be removed, so that I may be like Sarah & Hanah and Samson's mother and all the other mothers who cried out to the LORD and he heard the pleas and answered.
HALLELUJAH!!!!!
Chanan
Bahamas
Beautiful job! Lovvvvvvveee it!
To all the wonderful women on this blog, Praise Jesus for every one of you!
I have been living the same journey as Joyful has with my Father in Law in these last 6weeks. He is at the end stage of his life. I was blessed to travel to Idaho to nurse and care for him last week. It was a special time.
Joyful- I cant express to you how you have impacted me with your writings. Bless You!
I feel incredibly blessed to be with this group of women and I am grateful! I hope to write more soon.
Debra Z
N.Ca
Wendy-Your insight is wonderful!
Debra Z
No. Ca
Chanan, my daughter went through what you are going through....she waited 10 years for a baby, too. She now has a 6 mo old little girl named Sarah, whose name means little princess...and that she is. Don't give up, God is able. Look at all the women we have been studying abut that had to wait...God answered their prayers...trust Him no matter what.
Oh how I am enjoying these lessons. They are just what I need this year.
Please pray for Mary W from SC, who started reading with us in January. She has cancer and has been taking chemo treatments, and now they are starting some other kind of treatment. She got so far behind in her reading, I told her yesterday to just start with Ruth and go forward. She really needs encouragement. From writing to her, she seem to be so sweet, but down in the dumps...who wouldn't, going through what she is.
Jan TN
Like Hannah I've had those moment when prayer for a child was a must. My story is about a son who had turned to drugs, for so long I have "lifted him up" before the Lord. When he turned to heroin this past fall, in deep sobs I hit my knees and lifted him up to God, begging that he would be set free from addiction.
I made every plan in the book to get him into rehabs and long term treatment. But God, (man I love those two words) said into my spirit; I don't need those places, I will heal him. It's now 5 months later and my son is free of drugs. He's not walking "with the Lord" but he is his child, and I KNOW...but God... isn't done yet!
Ladies, your hearts are just so precious to me today. Your testimonies and heartfelt love for following Jesus, even when it means taking up your own crosses, move me beyond understanding.
Today, I love the picture of Hannah praying to the "Lord of Heavens' Armies." This passage takes me back to our earlier readings when God repeatedly told the Isrealites that He would go before them in battle and that the battle was His to fight.
When we pray to Him, we are giving the battle to God and His powerful armies. He will win, whether in the small everyday battles, the large life-consuming battles, or the eternal battles. Actually, as I re-read the previous sentence, I realize a change needs to be made in it. Ladies, the Lord will not win, HE HAS ALREADY WON! ALL OUR BATTLES!
Praise be to the Lord of Heaven's Armies!!
Well girls,
I have to say that today I feel like Hannah in that I have been pouring out my heart to God but unlike Hannah, today I feel more like Job, hung out to dry with no end in sight. My sister did not get the job I had been praying about for weeks. In fact, she has not been able to find a job in months...I feel so alone today. I haven't the faith to pray for myself, so if you have a minute, say one for me today.
xoxo Jodie
Such heart warming stories from you all today...especially Amy Jane! What a wonderful testimony for you to share with your patients. Thanks for sharing. What supportive and loving women you all are. A group hug is so fitting!
I just wanted to note that Hannah genuinely cried out to God in desperation as Wendy commented. She was so desperate that she even promised that her son would be dedicated to the Lord for his lifetime. Wow! Now that's a sacrifice.
Have any of you ever prayed to the Lord with such desperation that you promised Him anything if he would come through for you? However when your prayer was answered the promise was forgotten and maybe a thank-you was not even offered up once it was answered.
I judge that Hannah even hesitated a bit when it came time for her to fulfill her promise to the Lord. I caught her hesitation in 1Samuel 21,22,23 "The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. But Hannah told her husband, "Wait until the boy is weaned. Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the Lord permanently." "Whatever you think is best." Elkanah agreed. "Stay here for now, AND MAY THE LORD HELP YOU KEEP YOUR PROMISE."
As mother's we know how strong a mother-child bond is. What courage she needed and what dedication and faithfulness she had to the Lord in order to separate from Samuel to carry through with her promise. And to only get to see him once a year! Eli offered up a blessing for her faithfulness saying, "May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord." And he did bless her 5 more times!
I want so to let go and let God in times of desperation. To trust that he has things under control. To be faithful with my promises and to know that whatever the outcome, God has my best interests at heart. He knows the plan and the purpose for my life. May the Lord help us to stay faithful and keep our promises.
It reminds me of disciplining children. Never say what you are going to do unless you can really carry it through. Consistency in our discipline and in our life is so important.
Love from Debbie In Illinois
Dear Jodie
It only takes the faith of a mustard seed my friend.
Jesus we love you. We celebrate you.
We praise you and we ask you. Will you lift Jodie to the high places? She is weary. Your Word sustains the weary, we can mount on it and fly like eagles. Jodie needs to feel You close today, right now.
We trust you to answer this prayer in your perfect timing.
Amen Amen Amen
My SIL sent me this today...go have some fun with it. It is a scripture verse for birthdays. Notice how the chapter and verse correspond with your month and day.
http://www.birthverse.com/mybirthverse.cfm
It wouldn't all go on one line
Jan TN
Jodie I felt your pain come thru your post.
Heavenly Father, I lift Jodie up to you right now. Her heart is heavy and she needs to feel your presence. Please pour into her your Spirit and let her trust that Your plan for her sister is the right one. You are a faithful God and soon she'll look back and wonder why she even worried. Take the load from her back, strap it to Jesus and let Him lead her out of her pit. AMEN
Me again,
I love to check back at the end of the day. As I was writing down all the prayer requests my heart got so heavy for you ladies. I closed my eyes and it was as if I could hear your voices reading your posts aloud.
*Chanan: God hears you and will be with you during your surgery. Please keep me posted as the date draws nearer. I want to be with you in prayer thru this
* Morgen: Thank you for reminding all of us to pray and give our children back to the Lord.
* Karen: I lift your daughters to the Lord and pray for their renewed relationship with him.
* Debra and Joy: Standing with you my sisters with the difficult decisions and family sickness you are going through.
* Jan: Please pass on to Mary that she is not alone, I am sure every sister who reads this blog has lifted her up before the Father. Encourage her to stay close to His word and not to give in to the darkness that cancer can bring. My heart breaks for so many who are going through cancer right now.
*Susan: God can free anyone from addiction at any time. He does it moment by moment, day by day. All praise to Him for 5 months of being clean.
Jodie: Lock arms with us sister, reread the prayer Wendy wrote and just that little bit of faith. God’s word says when two or more are gathered, here we are and we believe in you.
Sorry for the length of this ladies, but I felt so led to pray tonight.
Luvs,
Diane
Diane, Thank you for your prayers last night.
Jodie, you have called out the prayer warriors to be by your side and we all are. Praying for you today
Jan, thanks for the link! My verse is the Prayer of Jabez and we just read it two days ago! How cool.
Karen, CA
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