It seems fitting that after my study lesson this week entitled ‘Prayer’, a devotion I read on prayer the same morning only a few moments after seeing the title of the study, and going to church and receiving a beautiful prayer journal from my ‘secret sister’. The irony of this gift is that within the last few weeks I had contemplated getting one. I’ve never had a prayer journal before, but I recently heard someone say they wrote down their prayer requests, along with the date, and then the date the prayer is answered. He also stated that some of those prayer requests are still without dates, so he keeps praying.
When I got home, I decided I was going to write my requests. I didn’t think I had many, but there’s one dire situation right now, that I need God to intervene, so, along with my note of thanks for my secret sister, I started writing. My daughter was curious what I was doing, I guess she’s never really seen me write much, as I mostly use my phone for notes and writing. I explained what I was doing, and asked if she had a request. Of course she did! I wrote it for her, and because she’s thoughtful in her precocious way, she made sure I wrote down a request for myself as well – and told me what it should be.
These are lessons we are learning together, and she’s teaching me. I know that God answers our prayers, because I’ve seen Him act in my life many times. But, my daughter is also learning that we can call on God as well. One of the things that I think she is learning too, is that God doesn’t always answer our prayers right away.
As I was studying the story of 1st Samuel this week, there was something that caught my eye that I think I’ve missed before. Hannah had been praying for a child. Her husband’s other wife had been taunting her because Hannah had been barren. When she went to the temple to pray, she made a promise to God. If He gave her a child, she would dedicate him back to the Lord. After Hannah had waited so long for a child, when God answered, she remembered her promise and gave him back by sending him to live with Eli, the priest, as soon as he was old enough, about 4 years old (about how long it would have taken for him to be weaned). The part that I think I’ve missed all along: Hannah was faithful to her promise to God, and God in turn blessed her with many children. I believe, in total, Hannah, the once barren woman, gave birth to three sons and two daughters. We serve the God of the impossible. So while she had given Samuel to Eli to raise in the tabernacle, she was able to raise four other children.
Is there something that you have been praying for? Don’t give up. Don’t cross it off your list because you don’t see it happening. Samuel, Hannah’s first born son, was born at the perfect time. While Hannah could not have foreseen how her barrenness would work for the greater good, God’s timing was perfect. Israel needed a rescuer, and it came in the form of Samuel, at the right time.
Dear Heavenly Father, your timing is perfect. Help us not to lose hope for the desires that you have placed on our hearts because they are taking too long to come to fruition. Lord, we thank you for your love and all that you are doing for us, even when we cannot see. Help us not to lean on our limited understanding.