1 Samuel 10-11
I've been reading through 1 Samuel lately, and this prayer really struck me. Hannah was distressed. She was one of two wives of a man named Elkanah. Elkanah's other wife Peninnah had children, but Hannah's womb was closed and she had none. Hannah under went a lot of ridicule from Peninnah. In the midst of this, Hannah's prayer to God was that she would have a son, but that wasn't the end of it. Hannah didn't just say she want this for herself. She gave what she requested to the Lord. She forfeited her right to it. The Lord blessed her and gave her a son, and she gave her son Samuel to the Lord. Samuel was raised under the priest Eli, and became a godly man.
I think that my prayer requests before the Lord should be more like Hannah's. She was not just interested in this child for herself. I think she knew that what she had received from God was not really her's at all. It was a gift, and she intended to take that gift and use it for God's service. Its easy to get into a selfish way of thinking: to say God... I want a pet cow, a bicycle, and a cute girlfriend, but that is not the right way of thinking. I should be more focused on... will this thing help me further your ministry here on earth. Or how can I use what you give me to serve you, Lord?
In "The Pursuit of God"... A. W. Tozer remarks this
We are often hindered from giving up our treasures to the Lord out of fear for their safety; this is especially true when those treasures are loved relatives and friends. But we need have no such fears. Our Lord came not to destroy but to save. Everything is safe which we commit to Him, and nothing is really safe which is not so committed.
Our gifts and talents should also be turned over to Him. They should be recognized for what they are, God’s loan to us, and should never be considered in any sense our own.
Thank you Lord for loaning me everything I have on this earth.
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