“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.” - 1 Samuel 1:10
In 1 Timothy 1:2, the Apostle Paul referred to Timothy as, “my own son in the faith.” Timothy was a young man who was being mentored by the apostle. Paul felt like he had a special bond with the young man, like a spiritual father-son relationship. When you lead a person to Jesus and help them grow in their faith, a similar relationship occurs with the new believer. Do you have such a person that you are leading? Have you actively brought a person to the Lord? Are you involved in their spiritual growth? If not, you can relate with a woman named Hannah.
As the book of 1 Samuel opens, we learn that Hannah is a woman who is barren. She has been childless. This fact has weighed heavily on her. The one thing she yearns for is a son. She wants to provide her husband a child.
As Christians, we should have a desire to introduce people to Jesus Christ. We should yearn to have a son or daughter in the faith, one we have personally led to Christ. We should want to help this new believer thrive in the faith. If you have never led a person to Jesus, spiritually you are very much like Hannah.
As I post this message, our nation is celebrating Mother's Day this weekend. We can learn much from this unusual mother. Hannah went from being barren to having a son who would positively impact the spiritual direction of Israel. It could be that the person we lead to Jesus or mentor in the faith may eventually become a great pastor, evangelist or spiritual leader. When Edward Kimball led a young Dwight Moody to Jesus, he had no idea that the young convert would become to the greatest evangelist in America during that century.
What did Hannah do that was so special? What made her case so unique? Obviously, the Lord was involved in the matter. Without the Lord, our efforts are in vain. So many write books, blogs and articles about evangelism yet omit this unmistakable truth. How can we accomplish anything of eternal significance without God's intervention?
Hannah went to God with her problem. She sought the Lord and appealed to Him for a miracle. If we are wise, we'd do the same. Do you long to win souls yourself? Do you wish to see your church grow numerically? Do you have a zeal to see the Gospel impact your family, your work and your community? Look to the Lord. Cry out to Him. Make your petition known with the Master.
In contrast to Hannah, the Bible says in Genesis 30:1, “And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.” Rachel was childless, yet she complained to her husband rather than crying out to God. How often do we look to the arm of flesh instead of leaning on the arm of God? What good is it to buy books, listen to podcasts and attend seminars to learn church-growth and soul-winning techniques, and yet fail to get on our knees and seek God?
Unlike Rachel's childish complaints to her husband, Hannah went to the Lord. When she and her husband went to Shiloh to offer a sacrifice, the Bible says this of Hannah: “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.” Notice three things about Hannah.
First of all, she had passion. The Bible says, “... she was in bitterness of soul.” She had an earnest desire for a child. She yearned to be a mother. Yes, she had a good husband, yet she had an internal passion to have a child. She did not want to live and die childless. Are we willing to live and die without winning souls or mentoring new believers? Do you simply want to live selfishly and fail to be used of God to make a difference in someone's life?
Secondly, there was prayer. Hannah, “... prayed unto the Lord.” I have found that most people would rather sing about prayer than to actually pray. It can be edifying to hear how God answered someone else's prayers, but wouldn't it be more thrilling for Him to answer yours? Don't expect answers to prayers you're not praying.
Finally, there was pain. Hannah, “... wept sore.” Few people are heartbroken over the spiritual need around them. I once wrote that the reason most baptistries remain dry is because of our dry eyes. Psalm 126:5-6 says, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” When was the last time you actually wept when you prayed? Can you recall the last time you wept as you considered the plight of lost people? Perhaps there should be more tear stains on the floor where we kneel to pray. Our prayer closets should become weeping chambers.
Soon after her tearful prayer at Shiloh, Hannah become a mother. Her son, Samuel, became an outstanding man of God.
I'm sure that Hannah never regretted one tear.
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