The Prophet and the Prayer

To my knowledge the first recipient of prayer was Abimelech.  His was a life and death situation.  God Almighty Himself spoke to Abimelech saying, “Behold, thou art but a dead man.  Abimelech plead his case to God and God, being just as He is, found Abimelech to have integrity in his heart.  He instructed him thusly:  “Restore to him (Abraham) his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live:  and if thou restore her not, know that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine. We have Integrity of heart, life and death, the prophet and the prayer. Genesis 20:17-18  So Abraham prayed unto God:  and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. 
 

It took several times of me reading the story about Hannah to even barely begin to understand the power of prayer.  My basic understanding was this.  Hannah desired to have a son after many years of being barren and tormented by Penninah.  She prayed for a son and vowed to the Lord that should He give her a son she would in turn give him back to the Lord for his service.  The Lord accepted her vow, Hannah had a son, she honored her vow and gave her son to serve the Lord, BOOM! End of story.
 

But Hanna’s was not an ordinary prayer.  The scripture says she was in bitterness of soul and wept sore.  She did this without making a sound at that!  The Bible says she “spake in her heart”- which made me think about the integrity of Abimelech’s heart, while only moving her lips.  She was in such a state that Eli, the prophet, thought she was drunk! She plead her case to Eli, just as Abimelech had done with God,  telling him that she had poured out her soul to the Lord out of the abundance of her complaint and grief.  We, in our finite wisdom, think we trouble God with our prayers but Hannah poured out her soul.  She held nothing back.  We strive for abundant living and then we have Hannah whose complaint to God was abundant.  Hannah’s grief was abundant!  The pastor of my church frequently speaks of people being so close to crazy well Hannah was right there.  She was so close to crazy she implored of Eli not to count her as a daughter of Belial!
 

 To back up a bit in 1 Samuel 1 verse 12 it says that Eli marked her mouth while she was praying.  I don’t know if Eli was a lip reader or not but if he was he couldn’t read Hannah’s lips.  He didn’t understand the words that were coming out of her mouth.  In verse 15 Hannah tells him she was a woman of sorrowful spirit, I can’t help but wonder if Hannah was praying in the spirit.  What she did though, since Eli was marking her lips, was enough for him to tell her to “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.”  He didn’t even ask what her petition was!  Talk about the fervent prayer of the righteous availing much.  But there they were again- the prophet and the prayer, life and death, and integrity of heart.  Hannah conceived and bore a son. 

I don’t know who told Hannah to pray.  To my recollection Hannah didn’t have a vision where God told her the prophet would pray for her to have a son.  Hannah prayed and then the prophet prophesied that she would receive her petition.  I got that.  What I didn’t readily get was when the time came for Hannah to take her son to the temple she wasn’t simply fulfilling her vow to the Lord, she was cheerfully offering her first fruit.  She rejoiced to do so.  In fact she prayed another notable prayer. 

1 Sam 2:1-10 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2 There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6 The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7 The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. 9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed. KJV
 

Correct me if I am wrong but this is not a Lord, thank you for my son prayer. It is a prayer of victory and it is a prayer of knowing the Lord intimately through prayer.  Hannah’s prayer is filled with wisdom- proverbs even!  How could Hannah know these things about God unless He revealed them to her through prayer?  She prayed for a son. Not only did she receive a son she also received the God who raises up the poor out of the dust.  She asked for a son and also received the God who brings down to the grave and raises up!  She asked for a son and knew that there was no rock like our God.  Now that’s a prayer and, to me, praying in the spirit.   Come to think of it, since the prophet told Hannah her petition would be answered one can’t help but assume that Hannah didn’t pour out her soul to only ask for a son.  She wept sore asking God for everything that was making her crazy enough to make her appear as drunk!  There’s a song that says “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer”.   People of God every time you pray pour out your soul to God.  Let’s not forget to worship.  Hannah worshipped God before she conceived and then God remembered her.  If your prayers aren’t getting answered check the integrity of your heart.  Every prayer is a life and death matter.  God is concerned about every aspect of your life and wants to preserve you from death be it spiritual or natural.  Worship causes God to remember you- it gets his attention and He dwells in tehillah praise.  Your praise is every bit as important, even more important, than your prays.  When all is said and done rejoice.  Rejoice in the Lord always!

Suggested reading:  Genesis 20, 1 Samuel 1, 2