FAITH MAY REQUIRE PERSISTENT PRAYER – I Samuel 1:10
Wednesday, March 1st, 2006I Samuel 1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.
Hannah had a good husband who loved her and provided for her. However, the Lord had shut her womb and Hannah was distraught. Her husband Elkanah tried to comfort her but there was nothing he could do to bring comfort to Hannah because it was the Lord who shut Hannah’s womb. Hannah understood that it was God who opened and closes the womb and she went to God and made her request known unto God.
Hannah desired a child. She understood that God was the only One who could open her womb for her. Hannah demonstrates to us the benefit of persistent and continual prayer. It appears that this was not the first time that Hannah went to the house of God to pray for a child. She apparently did this every year and Peninnah, the second wife of Elkanah would provoke her a make fun of her because she had no sons.
Hannah had a deep burden and she went to the only One who could help her. This was not a one-time prayer but was a prayer that she was persistent in. Hannah demonstrated to the Lord that a child really was the desire of her heart. God saw Hannah’s heart and in HIS perfect timing, HE opened her womb and allowed Hannah to bare a son.
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. In Hannah’s situation, the Lord took away her ability to have a son. However, because of Hannah’s persistent and fervent prayer, the Lord eventually heard her request and gave her the desire of her heart. The Lord gave Hannah the good things that she desired but HE did wait for HIS perfect timing.
Hannah is an excellent example to us of the truth of Psalms 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Just because Hannah delighted herself in the Lord and made her request known unto God, it does not mean that she received her request immediately. God was not deaf or hard of hearing. The Lord had heard her pray the first time. God knew her request but HE allowed her desire to have children to continue to grow and HE opened her womb and gave her the good thing she desired and requested when HE was ready.
God has no obligation to give you the desires of your heart immediately. God has no obligation to give to you a good thing that you requested immediately. God sometimes requires that we learn to be persistent in prayer. God did not punish Hannah because she continually came before HIM and asked HIM for a child. God was not angry at Hannah because she would not stop requesting a child of HIM.
You have an obligation to God to be persistent in your prayers. You understand that only God can give you the desires of your heart. God expects you to continue to come before HIM and make your request known unto HIM. There is nothing wrong with persistent prayer. You must understand that it is by faith that you believe God can answer your prayer. It is by faith that you go to HIM and seek HIM to give you the desires of your heart. You understand that your request is important to you and thus you must go to God and make your request known unto HIM. God has heard you, but will you be persistent in asking for the desires of your heart?