This is the Truth Network. Encouraging prayer. God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything. On encouraging prayer, Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling Prayers for Prodigals and many other books on prayer, provides weekly biblical insight to help you learn to love to pray.
And now, here's James.
Well, today we're going to dedicate this episode to moms because Mother's Day is tomorrow. It's Mother's Day Eve, actually. And it's kind of interesting that Mother's Day Eve just kind of fits into all that biblically, right, James? Yeah, it does. And today we're going to be looking at Hannah, who is one of the great praying moms of the Bible.
Of course, she wasn't a mom when she started to pray. She's pleading with God for a baby, and she's been doing this for the longest time, and nothing seems to happen. You know, and and then. God answers her prayer, and in such a way, it's just amazing.
So that's where we're going, Robbie. I'm excited because that story is spectacular to me because it... If you go to Israel, you can stand in the very place where Hannah prayed that, and people come from all over the world. or infertile. To pray Hannah's prayer right there in Shiloh in Israel, where it was prayed.
It's a beautiful thing. Yeah, yeah, that's breathtaking as well. Because, again, we need to recognize that prayer isn't just something we do, prayer is something God does. I mean, God meets us in that place of prayer and accomplishes things through our prayers that would not happen otherwise.
So, you know, just going into Hannah's story a little bit. You know, here's a woman who is longing for a baby, and she has a rival who, you know, keeps having children and is basically saying, well, isn't God judging you? You know? And keep in mind, in that culture, having a baby, I mean, this is the one who would take care of you in your old age and look after you. And so many felt that it was the judgment of God if you didn't have a child.
And her husband isn't very helpful. He's like, well, aren't I worth more to you than 10 sons? I mean, come on. How's that going to help? And then she goes into the tabernacle to pray and You know, the priests there think she's drunk.
You know, it's not only does he. Does he think she's drunk? You know, he's just. He's down on her until he realizes what's really going on. And it's interesting.
She says in that point, don't mistake me for a wicked woman, but the phrase means daughter of Satan. It's this intense situation. And because what she's doing is she's praying so hard. That Her mouth is moving, but the words aren't coming out. And That's it.
You know that The crazy thing. here is that when when He says, well, you know, put away your wine, put away your beer, whatever. Um She says, I was pouring out My soul. to God. And That's just something I want to encourage moms to do today.
Pour out your soul. Ask yourself, you know, when was the last time? Moms and dads, but just whether you're a parent or not, when was the last time you poured out your soul? to God. Because that that's what Hannah does.
And also the meaning of what she's doing in terms of being an intercessor. You know, she's really... Yes, she's praying for her baby, but... But there's so much more going on. And the meaning of intercessor is.
Yeah. is someone who meets with another. And so what she's doing, she's meeting with God. to talk about her need. And that's where you see More of what prayer?
Is all about. And that's kind of the second thing that happens here is that You know, first, Eli blesses her. Eli the priest blesses her and says, May the God of Israel grant what you ask of him. And um her face is no longer downcast and and you know she She goes home and And she becomes pregnant, and she has the baby Samuel. And oh my goodness, you know, I mean, here's one of the greatest men of God who's ever lived.
But to show that That's what's going on here isn't just about a baby. She gives the baby to the Lord. It's like God You're greater than And I mean, here he is, he's yours, and then she's blessed with other children, but you know. God did more than just answer Hannah's prayer for herself. He blessed the nation because of her prayers.
And, you know, blessed us. Because of her prayers. You know, I mean, Samuel leads to. Saul leads to David. which then leads eventually to Jesus.
And Yeah. It's incredible. You know, she sees that, she recognizes she honors God. Because of that, she meets him, and that's what prayer is all about: meeting him again, being in that place of just. Pouring out yourself to him.
Yeah, she really partners. with God through the whole experience. I love that. She pours out her soul. Lord, I want to partner with you.
in this child And then she follows through with it. Yeah, continuing to partner with him as she literally hands him over to God. Uh But I think that we know based on Hannah's And even her husband, which was a very righteous man, that even brought her to the temple to begin with. That they continued to pray for Samuel. And so a lot of what Samuel was able to do was based on them continuing to pour out their souls.
You know, for their son.
So they were. Oh, that's such a good point. That's such a good point. And that's the thing. Yeah.
Keep praying, right? Keep praying. Because there are things that will only happen. If If you pray. And you know, you see that again and again in scripture.
And so the question might be: what am I missing? If I don't, you know, if I don't open those doors of prayer, if you will, and let heaven in, then what am I missing? I better do that. I better do that right now, actually. You're asked so far.
Thank you. Um that we can open those doors. That we can talk to you, that we can partner with you. And Lord, I pray that you would help us to literally pour out our souls. for our children, for future children.
Give us Hannah's heart. Help us to see what it means to truly partner with you like she did with Samuel. And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray.
