In her abject or sordid state of unending humiliation and rejection, Hannah knew what to do. She went to the right source for a solution which was the house of God. In humility and submission, she made her silent request known to God who answers prayers and gives of all good things. However, many doubt if silent prayer is effective at all?
Effective prayer
We read from James 5:16 that the prayer of a righteous man avails much. The mode of prayer is therefore not mentioned but our righteousness which is a reflection of our state of the purity of heart that matters. Hannah spoke in her heart and only her lips moved but her voice was not heard. Hannah’s prayer came from a heart of humility and purity so it satisfied God’s conditions for an answer.
We communicate with God in spirit and in truth in the silence of our hearts. Hannah knew these principles of prayer and effectively applied it. God is not deaf so he heard Hannah’s prayers. The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth, Psalms 145:18. Noise has no role or significance in the effectiveness of prayer and neither is it a solution.
What we need is to be righteous and to walk in the Lord’s ordinances and upon that our request made to God shall be answered irrespective of our circumstances. Zachariah and Elizabeth were examples of such hearts of purity, righteousness and humility so God gave them a son called John the Baptist. What is our request before God and have we satisfied God’s precondition to deserve his favour?
Hasty judgments
Eli presumed Hannah was drunk but upon knowing her sorrowful heart and outpouring of her soul before the Lord, Eli prophesied peace upon her life with an assurance to receive what she had asked for. We often judge people without finding out the truth. Perceptions and guesses are deceptive and illusions. People of God must not give in to such quick judgments but an informed conclusion based on ascertained facts. Jeremiah 5:3 says O Lord, do not thy eyes look for truth?
We have through surmised, judged or condemned many who were otherwise not guilty after all or even better that us. We may have wounded many souls out of hast based on impatience, lack of wisdom, giving misleading impressions that we are better persons. Hasty judgments also stem from our hidden agenda to cover our true nature by painting others as black and such an attitude is a sin. Jesus said that first take the log out of your own eye, and then we will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye, Matthew 7:3-5.
We destroy God’s flock when we give in to haste to judge others particularly without incontrovertible facts. Hannah would have been completely destroyed had Eli not bothered to find out from her but had held on to an uninformed conclusion that Hannah was drunk. Do we go any length to find out the truth from persons we accuse of wrongdoing or we just hastily castigate them? We must not speak falsely against our neighbor. We should strive to know the truth always, John 8:32.
A number of God’s flock get broken and destroyed in spirit because of our hasty judgments and condemnation and one of the surest ways to heal is for us to give them a listening ear with ward companionship. They deserve the right to be heard. We must be fair in judgment or perceptions. Christ came to live with us on earth and so he appreciates our challenges at first sight beyond what we think. We also appreciate him because he understands and appreciates him for who he is. We can also understand others only when we get close to them so that we can help them to heal from sin.
Faith in troubled times
Hannah believed and said to Eli, let your handmaiden find grace in thy sight and she went away. The prophecy was fulfilled and she gave birth and named him Samuel saying, because I have asked him of the Lord. Jesus said according to your faith so be it unto you, Matthew 9:29. We need faith in order to walk with Jesus. Without faith it is impossible to please God, Hebrews 11:6.
After Hannah had weaned the child Samuel, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto house of the Lord in Shiloh. Hannah said to Eli, as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord. Hannah was consistent with her vows to the Lord for she knew scripture that all good things came from the Lord. Luke 1:53 says the Lord has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.
How consistent are we in faith? The bible says in James 1:7 that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive nothing from the Lord. When God says we should trust him, we must do exactly that because he is not a man that he should tell lies.
Appreciating God
She did not limit the appreciation to only her vow but gave beyond what she vowed to the Lord. This is how we must fulfill our vows to God. Hannah was not ashamed of God nor was she worried that she would be lonely without Samuel. God was her companion and that was enough and more than she needed. Her delight was to make God happy and comfortable.
David said that I will not give to God that which cost me nothing, 2 Samuel 24:24. Samuel was all she had yet it did not stop her from fulfilling her vow to God in a timely manner. If we truly appreciate God, we will not hesitate to fulfill our vows to him at the appointed or due time. Hannah continued to be blessed and so did her son Samuel. Do we want to be blessed with our household or not? Choose this day whether to be faithful to God with your vow or not.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, please teach us how to pray in my spirit. Forgive us for our hasty judgments. Increase our faith in you so we may stop wavering in troubled times. Help us to appreciate you always and save our perishing souls today in your precious blood, Amen!!
