Take it to the Lord in Prayer

Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the Lord. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. – 1 Samuel 1.8-10

Before we look at a great woman’s faith I want to briefly look at a God example of how men should not talk to their wives. Poor Hannah wanted a baby and was heartbroken over it. She was in bits. She couldn’t eat.

So what does her husband say? ‘Am I not better than ten sons? Why are you so sad?’

Not so smart, huh?

But seriously. Let's think about it. She is broken. She can’t get pregnant. And then her husband says something stupid like ‘aren’t I enough?’

He truly does love her. He knows she is hurting and even gets her special gifts – but it doesn’t slave the problem.

So what does she do?

In her bitterness of soul and her anguish she prayed to the Lord and wept.

I hope that all of us have the same attitude when things get bad. We have all had that devastating of a death or an illness or a financial blow or a disaster or whatever. I will never forget sitting with my son when the doctor told him that his wife had a form of leukaemia that could very well kill in in a few days. Those are painful days that can shake us to the very core.

So what do we do? We mourn, we weep, but we take it to the Lord in prayer.

There is a wonderful old hymn that seems to me to have kind of dropped off the scene – but sometimes when we do that we miss some wonderful messages. It was written in 1855 by Joseph Scriven and is called ‘What A Friend We Have in Jesus.’ Scriven caught the Hannah like spirit of her prayer.

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Saviour, still our refuge—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised

Thou wilt all our burdens bear;

May we ever, Lord, be bringing

All to Thee in earnest prayer.

Soon in glory bright, unclouded,

There will be no need for prayer—

Rapture, praise, and endless worship

Will be our sweet portion there.