God Wants Me to Persevere
In prayer
1 Samuel 1:8-11
Read the Bible through:
AM - 2 Chronicles 17-19 : PM - John 14
Then she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head"
(1 Sam. 1:11).
In prayer
1 Samuel 1:8-11
Read the Bible through:
AM - 2 Chronicles 17-19 : PM - John 14
Then she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head"
(1 Sam. 1:11).
Hannah began her prayer with a confession of God's power as "Lord of hosts." With the eyes of her heart riveted on God, she continued with an acknowledgment of her relationship to God as His "handmaid." With faith fixed on God's greatness and possessing a clear conviction of her position in relation to God, Hannah fashioned a very specific request; she asked for "a man child."
Effective prayer begins with the confession of who God is, not with the list of our needs or desires. If we focus on God, our faith is drawn toward Him. If we focus on our problems, our faith remains earthbound.
O God of grace and power, help me learn to pray always on the basis of all You are and not on the basis of what I lack.
