Daily Devotionals

Escaping Ordinary Week 11: Saturday

"Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.” 1 Samuel 1:10-11

When my nephew Owen was two, he asked me for a popsicle for breakfast. At first, I said “no” because I was trying to be a good aunt and knew a popsicle was not his healthiest option. But, after asking over and over, his persistence melted my heart. I began thinking, “he never eats popsicles for breakfast, and one wouldn't hurt.” Owen’s persistence convinced me to give him the popsicle he wanted. Persistency, I am learning, can have a profound impact. In fact, Scripture teaches that persistence in prayer has an impact.

When it comes to persistence in prayer, Hannah is an excellent example for us. We find out in 1 Samuel 1 that Hannah could not have children. In the time of the Old Testament, people believed that if someone did not have children, it was because they had been cursed by God. As a result, Hannah must have been dealing with shame at the inability to have children. One particularly difficult day, she brought her pain to God. One day when she was at the temple praying, she said to God, “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut” (verse 11). 1 Samuel 1 tells us that Hannah continued to pray persistently and fervently. We read further along in 1 Samuel 1 that God responded to Hannah’s prayer and gave her a son. She, in turn, kept her promise and dedicated her son to the Lord.

Hannah’s story is a reminder for us to pray with persistence and with honesty. God is moved by our prayers to Him. Jesus said it this way in Matthew 7, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you” (verse 7). Clearly, Scripture teaches that something happens when we pray persistently. Now, this does not mean that God will answer each one of our prayers exactly how we want. Sometimes what we ask for is not in our best interest, even when we fully believe it is. What we can be sure of, however, is that God honors our persistent prayers to Him.

Moving toward action

Our invitation today is to pray persistently. What need do you have that you are asking God for? Commit to praying persistently, consistently asking God. Remember, this does not mean that the answer will be exactly what you are hoping for, but you can have confidence that He will respond in the way that is best and for your good and His glory.

Going Deeper

1 Samuel 1:1-28 (NLT)

"There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim. 2 Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.

3 Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas. 4 On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. 5 And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children. 6 So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. 7 Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.

8 “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

9 Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle. 10 Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. 11 And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”

12 As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. 13 Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. 14 “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”

15 “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. 16 Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”

17 “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”

18 “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

19 The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, 20 and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

21 The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Wait until the boy is weaned. Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the Lord permanently.”

23 “Whatever you think is best,” Elkanah agreed. “Stay here for now, and may the Lord help you keep your promise.” So she stayed home and nursed the boy until he was weaned.

24 When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine. 25 After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. 26 “Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord. 27 I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. 28 Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord there."