Then Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?" So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the LORD. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish. 1Samuel 1:8-10 (NKJV)
Have you every become so completely at loss because of something going on in your life you found yourself pouring out your heart before the Lord? I am sure we have all found ourselves in this place in our lives. Such was the case for Hannah, the mother of the Prophet Samuel. Hannah was sad and even bitter because she was not able to conceive and provide a child for her husband.
One day Hannah went to the Temple of God and she began to pray to the Lord. As she prayed, Eli the priest watched her from afar. Now Hannah spoke no words audibly but only in her heart, so Eli could only see her lips moving, but heard nothing, therefore he thought she was drunk. So Eli confronted her and asked her, "How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!" But Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD" (1Sam. 1:14-15).
As I thought about this story, I thought about the sovereignty of God—how He knew every detail of Hannah's life prior to it coming about. God knew her son Samuel would be set apart and dedicated to Him for mighty purposes. Maybe if Hannah had conceived a child earlier she would not have dedicated him in the way she did. God had a plan to use Samuel for a great work, but He needed to prepare the heart of Hannah so she would be in fully surrendered to His plan. It was God's perfect timing to do His good work combined with Hannah's heart wholly surrendered through fervent prayer—she was willing to submit to God's way and not her own desires.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. Psalms 139:16 (NKJV)
Q: What can we derive from this story and apply to our lives as Christian men and women?
We can be assured God is working in every situation and He has a perfect plan for our lives. God is going to allow us to come to a point where we, like Hannah, pour out our soul before Him in prayer. I believe everything leading up to this time of fervent prayer is being used in the preparing of our hearts to come in agreement with God's perfect plan and will for our lives.
I want to encourage you to meditate upon these things today. Let's remember proper prayer is when our heart and will come in alignment with Gods heart and will for our life. God has a perfect plan and He is in control, even when everything seems to be out of control.
STUDY QUESTION: According to Psalm 139:16 what can we learn about God's knowledge of our life, even before it happens?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to trust in God's perfect plan for your life?
APPLICATION: Let's choose to remember God has a perfect plan and He is in control.
Have you every become so completely at loss because of something going on in your life you found yourself pouring out your heart before the Lord? I am sure we have all found ourselves in this place in our lives. Such was the case for Hannah, the mother of the Prophet Samuel. Hannah was sad and even bitter because she was not able to conceive and provide a child for her husband.
One day Hannah went to the Temple of God and she began to pray to the Lord. As she prayed, Eli the priest watched her from afar. Now Hannah spoke no words audibly but only in her heart, so Eli could only see her lips moving, but heard nothing, therefore he thought she was drunk. So Eli confronted her and asked her, "How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!" But Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD" (1Sam. 1:14-15).
As I thought about this story, I thought about the sovereignty of God—how He knew every detail of Hannah's life prior to it coming about. God knew her son Samuel would be set apart and dedicated to Him for mighty purposes. Maybe if Hannah had conceived a child earlier she would not have dedicated him in the way she did. God had a plan to use Samuel for a great work, but He needed to prepare the heart of Hannah so she would be in fully surrendered to His plan. It was God's perfect timing to do His good work combined with Hannah's heart wholly surrendered through fervent prayer—she was willing to submit to God's way and not her own desires.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. Psalms 139:16 (NKJV)
Q: What can we derive from this story and apply to our lives as Christian men and women?
We can be assured God is working in every situation and He has a perfect plan for our lives. God is going to allow us to come to a point where we, like Hannah, pour out our soul before Him in prayer. I believe everything leading up to this time of fervent prayer is being used in the preparing of our hearts to come in agreement with God's perfect plan and will for our lives.
I want to encourage you to meditate upon these things today. Let's remember proper prayer is when our heart and will come in alignment with Gods heart and will for our life. God has a perfect plan and He is in control, even when everything seems to be out of control.
STUDY QUESTION: According to Psalm 139:16 what can we learn about God's knowledge of our life, even before it happens?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to trust in God's perfect plan for your life?
APPLICATION: Let's choose to remember God has a perfect plan and He is in control.
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