“And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life…” (1Sam. 1:11)
Hannah was facing a hopeless situation. She desperately wanted a child, but God had shut up her womb. She decides to take her request to God. We find three things about her request that we should keep in mind when we are waiting on an answer.
Notice Her PETITION
(v.10) says, “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.” Hannah had suffered because of her barrenness and the ridicule she endured. Because of her bitterness, it would have been easy for her to have blamed God. After all, it was God who had shut up her womb to begin with.
Don’t let your circumstances get you bitter. Do like Hannah and take your petition to God in prayer.
Notice Her SUBMISSION
In (v.11) Hannah prays, “And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt…give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life…”Oh, how we need mothers like that, today! How we need more God-fearing mothers who are fully surrendered to God.
While she waited, she submitted.
NOTICE HER CONFIRMATION
In (v.17) Eli, the Priest, answered and said, “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.”That was music to Hannah’s ears! She was finally going to have a baby! Her PETITION paid off and her SUBMISSION paid off.
If you are still waiting on an answer, don’t give up! The answer could come in one day, one month, or a year from now. We are not promised how soon God will answer, but rest assured, God heard your prayer!