a-prayer-like-hannahs-prayer

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Hannah’s prayer was direct. She prayed to God to give her a son. She left God in no doubt of what she wanted. Her request was unconditional. Any son would do! She did not pray for a beautiful son, or an intelligent son, or one that was perfectly formed.

Most of our prayers are not unconditional. On many occasions I have heard church members pray like this for a pastor, “Dear LORD send us a man of your choice.” The rider to that prayer is left unuttered: “But let us have the final say.” Church members do have the final say! They invariably choose the man that they like. If Christians were honest they would actually pray for a pastor along these lines: “Dear LORD please, please, please, send us a man that we like.”

I am afraid that we pray along the same lines for a wife or a husband. When a man prays to God for a wife he does not do so unconditionally. He wants a beautiful wife between the age of 25 and 35, with a shapely figure, with whom he falls hopelessly in love. Unless we can ask God for a wife unconditionally it is better to use a dating agency.

A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for Bible class.

As she ran she prayed, “Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late! Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late!”

As she was running and praying, she tripped on a curb and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed herself off, and started running again.

As she ran she once again began to pray, “Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late!…But don’t shove me either.”

I said a prayer for you today,
And know God must have heard.

I felt the answer in my heart
Although He spoke no word.

I didn’t ask for wealth or fame,
I knew you wouldn’t mind.

I asked Him to send treasures
Of a far more lasting kind.

I asked that He’d be near you
At the start of each new day,

To grant you health and blessings
And friends to share your way.

I asked for happiness for you
In all things great and small,

But it was for His loving care
I prayed the most of all.