As for Hannah, she was very distressed. She prayed to the LORD and was, in fact, weeping…
It turned out that she did a great deal of praying before the LORD. Meanwhile Eli was watching her mouth. As for Hannah, she was speaking in her mind. Only her lips were moving; her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was a drunkard. Then he said to her, “How much longer do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!” But Hannah replied, “Not so, my lord! I am a woman under a great deal of stress. I haven’t drunk wine or beer. But I have poured out my soul before the LORD. Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman. It’s just that, to this point, I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.”1 Samuel 1:10-16
The first chapter of 1 Samuel is a beautiful story of a faithful woman named Hannah. She was barren and desired a son, so brought her request before the Lord, making a vow to dedicate her son to Him if only her request was granted.
The request was of course important to her but the real lesson here is how she approached God with her request.
- She was burdened, distressed.
- She prayed to the Lord.
- Her prayer was with weeping.
- She did a great deal of praying before the Lord.
- Her silent prayer was made in her mind with her lips moving, pouring out her soul before the Lord.
- Her prayer was from deep pain and anguish.
The Lord granted her request and she gave birth to a son and named him Samuel. She followed through with her vow and brought the child to the temple and left him with Eli the priest.
How do you approach the Lord in prayer? What burden has He put on your heart that would bring you before him in pain and anguish, that you would pour out your soul with weeping?
Could you imagine what would happen if we were faithful to Him and brought our requests for the salvation of our loved ones before the Lord in such a way?
