Biblical Prayers, can be a rich source of blessing and encouragement.
Hannah’s Prayer in 1 Samuel 2, a dramatic change from Taunting and Torment to Thanksgiving! The Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, 1 Samuel 1:5 until she promised to give her only son to His service for all of his life – so Samuel was born. Elijah told the widow of Zarephath to make him a small cake of bread first, though she had little flour left; sometimes God insists we give His portion up front. Foolish in the natural, but then He honours our faith and blesses us with more.
The opening verses of Hannah’s prayer worshipping God;
My heart rejoices in the Lord;
in the Lord my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.
2 There is NO ONE HOLY LIKE THE LORD;
there is NO ONE BESIDES YOU;
there is NO ROCK LIKE OUR GOD.
3 Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.
The enemy may be targeting the very area of our lives where God is seeking to produce His greatest blessing! Peninnah mocked Hannah’s childlessness but Hannah got her breakthrough, so don’t give up.
4 The bows of the warriors are broken,
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
but she who has had many sons pines away.
God had reversed the situations of the weak, hungry and barren. He had come to their rescue; will He repeat this again in our day?
6 The Lord brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and makes them inherit a throne of honour.
One of the first Bible verses I ever read was 1 Chronicles 21:12, very similar to verse 7 and verse 8 also has wonderful promises from God. We can REMIND God of them, just as David and Asaph did in the psalms.
For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;
on them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
‘It is not by strength that one prevails;
10 those who oppose the Lord will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
‘He will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.
Hannah’s prayer ends still exalting and praising God for His goodness and faithfulness. She has relied on Him and He’s blessed her. We may have to go through trials for a time but GOD IS FAITHFUL AND HIS WAYS ARE SURE.
God bless and keep you today.