Anxiety, and The Prayer of The Distressed
Text: 1 Samuel 1:1—2:11
“In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.” —Psalm 18:6
Morrow Graham was a woman of godly devotion. She regularly gathered the family together for scripture reading and prayer. Her son, Billy Graham, would grow up to faithfully proclaim the Gospel to more than 80 million people in his lifetime, leading millions of those souls out of spiritual bondage and into freedom in Christ. Billy once stated that of all the people he had ever known, his mother had the greatest influence on his life.
In 1 Samuel 1, we meet a woman of comparable spiritual muscle. She was a devout worshiper and a praying woman, but also a woman in deep distress. Childless and barren, Hannah was provoked to irritation by her rival, not for a few days or weeks, but year after year. Though her husband loved her greatly, he was still a bit insensitive to recognizing she had needs that he couldn’t fulfill (v8). Yet it is in the center of all this anguish that Hannah prays a prayer that will not only impact her circumstances, but the future of an entire nation.
While at the temple, “she was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, ‘O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.’” (1 Samuel 1:10-11)
Note that Hannah was in bitterness of soul and great anguish, yet she took her struggle honestly to God in prayer. She cried out to the “Lord of hosts,” a term used some 260 times in the Old Testament and has the idea “LORD of the Mighty Armies.” She made a vow to the God of angel armies, promising that if the Almighty granted her desire, she would dedicate the child back to the Lord’s service.
Hannah prayed so fervently from the heart, moving her lips in sync spiritually yet without any audible words. This appeared so strange to Eli, the priest, that he presumed her to be drunk! Yet what a vivid picture this is that prevailing prayer isn’t always vocal, but effectual prayer can also be silent and in the heart. The posture of our heart before God is more vital to prayer than the specific words we choose.
Hannah assured Eli that she wasn’t drunk, but “a woman troubled in spirit… pouring out my soul before the Lord… for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” Eli told her to go in peace, confirming that the God of Israel was going to answer her petition.
I love what happens next: “They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord.” Hannah and her husband, Elkanah, didn’t wait to see the prayer answered in a manifested way before they worshiped. They could genuinely worship the Lord in faith before the promise was fulfilled because worship wasn’t conditional to their circumstances; it was a consistent characteristic of their family’s lifestyle (1 Samuel 1:3, 19, 28). Worship isn’t about us “tipping” God for serving our needs or answering our prayers; it is the only rightful response to being in the presence of a holy God—Who is worthy of all our praise.
In due time, Hannah conceived and bore a son. She called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.” After the child had been weaned, she made good on her promise and brought the boy to the house of the Lord at Shiloh, declaring, “I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” What an act of surrender this was for Hannah, trusting that the boy would fair so much better as an instrument in God’s hand rather than a child under her control.
Anytime God hears our prayers or responds to our need, it is an opportunity to give back to Him in one form or another. What might that idea of worship, surrender, fulfilling a vow, or giving back look like in your life this week?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank you that you always hear us, even in our most distressful times. You are acquainted with the anxiety of our heart and you listen to our plea for help. Help us to find refuge not in your gifts, but simply in WHO you are. And when you do answer our prayers, God help us to be ready to honor you with a rightful response. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for personal reflection, small group discussion, or dinner table conversations:
- Why is it often easier to make a promise than to carry it through?
- How did Hannah explain her vow and its fulfillment? (1 Samuel 1:25-28) What was the prevailing emotion of Hannah’s prayer? (1 Samuel 2:1)
- What is one trait of God’s character, which particularly inspired Hannah’s praise? (1 Samuel 2:2) How do the poor and downtrodden of the earth ultimately fare with God? (2:8)
- Which of Hannah’s praises foreshadowed the coming of Messiah (Jesus)? (2:10)
- In what ways can you remind yourself that God is the source of all good gifts, and how can that fuel your worship this week? What vow or promise to God do you need to see through to completion?
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