Prayer and pain. They often go hand in hand. The worse the pain, the more heartfelt the prayer. In times of greatest anguish, verbal prayer is often superfluous.
Consider the example of a young woman named Hannah. Her story is recorded in 1 Samuel one. Her agony was that she was childless. Those who have never been in this situation will have trouble relating to her agony. Over the years, I've known couples who desperately wanted a child of their own and were unable. The raw pain is especially evident with would-be mothers.
Difficult as this is for us to relate to in our contemporary society, Hannah was in a polygamist marriage, and her husband's other wife had several children. The pain of childlessness was especially evident when the family made their annual pilgrimage to the temple of God to offer sacrifices. Even worse, Hannah was taunted unmercifully by her rival wife (1 Samuel 1.6).
In her extreme distress, Hannah made a vow to the LORD to offer a son to His service if He would allow her to bear a child (1 Samuel 1.10-11). At this time, a temple priest named Eli observes Hannah praying before the LORD:
"Now it came about, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli was watching her mouth. As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. Then Eli said to her, 'How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.' But Hannah replied, 'No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD." (1 Samuel 1.12-15)
Heartfelt prayer amidst personal pain was mistaken as drunken utterance. Perhaps this description helps us wrap our minds around Hannah's agony, and frame our own times of suffering. In our darkest hours, verbiage is transcended by the depths of our emotions. And, that which cannot be communicated in words is indeed heard: "the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words" (Romans 8.26).
Whether amidst pain or peace, the most honest prayers supersede words. Take time to pray today. If necessary, use words.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2011
Consider the example of a young woman named Hannah. Her story is recorded in 1 Samuel one. Her agony was that she was childless. Those who have never been in this situation will have trouble relating to her agony. Over the years, I've known couples who desperately wanted a child of their own and were unable. The raw pain is especially evident with would-be mothers.
Difficult as this is for us to relate to in our contemporary society, Hannah was in a polygamist marriage, and her husband's other wife had several children. The pain of childlessness was especially evident when the family made their annual pilgrimage to the temple of God to offer sacrifices. Even worse, Hannah was taunted unmercifully by her rival wife (1 Samuel 1.6).
In her extreme distress, Hannah made a vow to the LORD to offer a son to His service if He would allow her to bear a child (1 Samuel 1.10-11). At this time, a temple priest named Eli observes Hannah praying before the LORD:
"Now it came about, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli was watching her mouth. As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. Then Eli said to her, 'How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.' But Hannah replied, 'No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD." (1 Samuel 1.12-15)
Heartfelt prayer amidst personal pain was mistaken as drunken utterance. Perhaps this description helps us wrap our minds around Hannah's agony, and frame our own times of suffering. In our darkest hours, verbiage is transcended by the depths of our emotions. And, that which cannot be communicated in words is indeed heard: "the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words" (Romans 8.26).
Whether amidst pain or peace, the most honest prayers supersede words. Take time to pray today. If necessary, use words.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2011
posted by steve @ 9:28 AM
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