Hannah’s Approach to Prayer

For by it the elders obtained approval. – Heb 11:2

Believers do not live their lives around campgrounds, or “prayer altars” or Revival meetings. Most of our lives are lived out here in the real world; with noise, sweat, temptations and distractions. Road users aren’t going to shout “bless you” as they navigate around you and your Boss isn’t going to send you a memo reminding you of the “365 Promises of God for Bad times”. The atmosphere and setting of the real world is just not primed for miracles.

That is why you cannot afford to rely on sense feedback or sensations to know what God is doing in your life. Take prayer, for example. Many of us pray and look to the world around us to know if God has answered us or not.

Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel has something to teach us in this regard (1Sam 1:1-20).

We know the story, she was praying somewhat unorthodoxly in the Tabernacle at Shiloh because she was manifestly barren. When Eli the High Priest confronted her for her ‘disgraceful’ behaviour, she explained that it was because she’d been “troubled and tormented;” (vs. 16 GW).

Eli did not know what kind of trouble or torment she was facing, yet when he said, “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant you your petition that you have asked of him,”… “she went away, ate some food, and was no longer sad. (vs. 17,18).

Think about it, she was still at the Tabernacle; she had not gone home with her husband; even if they met themselves that day, she still needed at least several days (even weeks) to know if the prayer had worked; yet she went away with joy.

Mar 11:24 says, “Therefore I say unto you, whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you shall have them.”

Well, one thousand years before our Lord said that, Hannah showed she already understood this principle: we get our miracles at the place of prayer, not in the outside world.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN