This is the heart-warming true story
of an ordinary woman in the Bible
who had a broken heart
and decided to pray about her problem.

4 - Don't Pretend, get God's Principle!

I Samuel 1
8. "What's the matter, Hannah?" Elkanah would exclaim.
"Why aren't you eating? Why make such a fuss over having no children? Isn't having me better than having ten sons?"
9. One evening after supper, when they were at Shiloh, Hannah went over to the Tabernacle. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance.
10. She was in deep anguish and was crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.
11. And she made this vow: "O Lord of heaven, if you will look down upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you, and he'll be yours for his entire lifetime, and his hair shall never be cut."
LB

Hannah didn't pretend things were going her way when they weren't. She was honest with herself and with her husband who loved her about the fact that her heart was broken over this matter.
We need also to be honest about what is in our hearts with ourselves and with those who love us.

How do I know those who love me?
They take my concerns seriously and do not laugh at me when I'm sad.

In her deep anguish Hannah made a daring promise to the Lord.
(But it was not a wild promise with no thought behind it, as is evident later in the story.)

What we need to notice about this promise made to God, is that Hannah was offering to bring into the world a servant for God - someone to be God's man.

One thing that gets God's attention very quickly is when we tell Him we are willing to co-operate with Him in advancing His kingdom. This is what Hannah was in fact promising to Him.

Are you willing, like Hannah, to co-operate with God in advancing His kingdom by the choices you are making in this season of your life?

If you are, tell Him so. You'll certainly get His attention.

To develop a successful prayer life, I need to say to myself and God regularly, how good He is to me!

Prayer:
Father, today I want to co-operate with You in advancing Your kingdom. Any way You can use me for Your purpose, I am willing because I know that You will only do me good and You will give me a future and a hope,
in Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.

NEXT >>


Matthew 6
6. But when you pray, go away by yourself, all alone, and shut the door behind you and pray to your Father secretly, and your Father, who knows your secrets, will reward you.
7. "Don't recite the same prayer over and over as the heathen do, who think prayers are answered only by repeating them again and again. Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
9. "Pray along these lines: 'Our Father in heaven, we honor your holy name.
10. We ask that your kingdom will come now. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven.
11. Give us our food again today, as usual,
12. and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
13. Don't bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.
Amen.'
14. Your heavenly Father will forgive you if you forgive those who sin against you; but if you refuse to forgive them, he will not forgive you.
LB


Three Prayer Principles:

Principle 1:     proclaiming WHO God is
Principle 2:    praying about God's business
Principle 3:  praying about our own concerns


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LB stands for
"The Living Bible",
by Tyndale House Publishers
NKJV stands for
"The New King James Bible",
by Thomas Nelson Publishers