PrayerPrayerA Story of Hannah’s Heartfelt PrayerA Story of Hannah’s Heartfelt Prayer

June 4, 2006June 4, 2006

In the Old Testament, there was a man In the Old Testament, there was a man named Elkanah who had two wives.named Elkanah who had two wives.

Perinnah, the first wife, had children and Perinnah, the first wife, had children and was very happy.was very happy.

Hannah, the second wife, didn’t have any Hannah, the second wife, didn’t have any children. She was very depressed children. She was very depressed because of this.because of this.

(Why would she be depressed?)(Why would she be depressed?)

Perinnah despised Hannah and Hannah Perinnah despised Hannah and Hannah was very bitter towards Perinnahwas very bitter towards Perinnah

There was a lot of tension between the There was a lot of tension between the two women in the house but…two women in the house but…

Elkanah was a very kind-hearted man Elkanah was a very kind-hearted man and didn’t want there to be any problemsand didn’t want there to be any problems

So he would try to comfort Hannah all the So he would try to comfort Hannah all the timetime

On the days that On the days that there was a feast, there was a feast, everyone would be everyone would be so happy.so happy.

The children would The children would be running around be running around and playing and the and playing and the adults would talk to adults would talk to each other and each other and everyone had a everyone had a great time. But…great time. But…

Hannah was Hannah was always sad and always sad and would just cry and would just cry and weep all dayweep all day

She would go to She would go to the Temple and just the Temple and just lift her heart to God lift her heart to God and asked for His and asked for His comfort.comfort.

Hannah was often Hannah was often too sad to speak so too sad to speak so she just cried to she just cried to God.God.

Eli, the priest of the Temple, noticed her Eli, the priest of the Temple, noticed her and how much she cried and thought that and how much she cried and thought that she was drunk or something!!she was drunk or something!!

And he asked her why she was crying so And he asked her why she was crying so much and she told him because she much and she told him because she wanted childrenwanted children

Eli laughed and told Hannah that she Eli laughed and told Hannah that she was soon going to have a SON!!was soon going to have a SON!!

Hannah rejoiced immediately Hannah rejoiced immediately and the whole town noticed a and the whole town noticed a change in herchange in her

Many days went by and she Many days went by and she finally gave birth to a son and finally gave birth to a son and named him Samuel.named him Samuel.

On the next feast day, she took On the next feast day, she took Samuel to the Temple and he Samuel to the Temple and he grew up to be a great prophet grew up to be a great prophet AND part of the lineage of AND part of the lineage of Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ.

What was it What was it about Hannah’s about Hannah’s prayer that is so prayer that is so important?important?

Does prayer Does prayer always have to always have to be the same be the same thing over and thing over and over?over?

How should we How should we pray?pray?

Is there only one Is there only one way?way?

Prayer comes in Prayer comes in many different many different forms…forms…

But the one thing But the one thing that should be the that should be the same for all prayers same for all prayers is that they should is that they should all come from the all come from the HEART.HEART.

We can’t be afraid We can’t be afraid to be vulnerable in to be vulnerable in front of God.front of God.

And we have to be And we have to be very honest with very honest with ourselves and with ourselves and with God during our God during our prayer.prayer.

The Lord gave Hannah what she desired The Lord gave Hannah what she desired because she prayed with a sincere heart because she prayed with a sincere heart and strong faith that the Lord would and strong faith that the Lord would provide her with a son.provide her with a son.

DOES THIS MEAN THAT GOD WILL DOES THIS MEAN THAT GOD WILL GIVE US EVERYTHING WE PRAY FOR GIVE US EVERYTHING WE PRAY FOR SINCERELY???SINCERELY???

Memory VerseMemory Verse

““She prayed to the Lord and wept in She prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish, then she made a vow.”anguish, then she made a vow.”

- 1 Samuel 1:10-11- 1 Samuel 1:10-11