Today, I am still continuing the walking with God series. In the second part of this series, we will explore the message of prayer. We know that the prayer is an essential part in our beliefs in God. Over the generations, prayers have affected our world, our society, and our lives.
Readers of the bible know that Hannah was a great woman of prayer. Even though she was troubled by her rival Peninnah, Hannah frequently came before God and prayed. And God came to Hannah and blessed her and her family members in great ways. From now on, we will learn further from Hannah with her belief in God.
Hannah said in 1 Samuel 2:1, “my heart rejoiced in the Lord.” Hannah prayed to God and she discovered that her heart was pleased in God. In fact, heart is leb (לֵב) in the original language, Hebrew. It means the spiritual sound coming from the inside of our body. 1 Samuel 15:6 says, “man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Here, the heart is lebab (לֵבָב) in Hebrew. This means that people are interested in our outward appearance, but our God is more concerned about our heart, our inner feeling. When we pray to God, he considers that our heart, our inner feelings are more important than our outward feelings. He really expects his believers to pray in heart and in truth.
Hannah says in 1 Samuel 2:2, “there is no one holy like the Lord.” Hannah believed that God was holy. Holy is qadosh (קָדוֹשׁ) in Hebrew. It originally means “separated from our human world, which is impure and finite.” Our God is pure and infinite. He is also separated from this world. Our Lord says in 1 Peter 1:16, “Be holy, because I am holy.” God is holy and he wants his children to be holy. Holy is hagios (ἅγιος) in Greek, which means "likeness of nature with the Lord." It also means, "separated from this world, which is full of sins and wrongs.” Our God is holy and expects his people to follow where he goes.
Hannah said in 1 Samuel 2:3, “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.” We have already heard how Hannah prayed to God despite her rival Peninnah’s ridicule. Hannah never gave up and faithfully kept asking God for his guidance.
Jesus told this parable to his disciples. In Luke 18:1 says, “…they should always pray and not give up.” Our Lord does not want us to give up and we are to continue pray to him. Hannah never gave up. Instead, she prayed with power, truth, and confidence and from her heart. Our God was with her.
Hannah continued to pray. 1 Samuel 2:6-7, “The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.” Our God controls everything in this world; the life and death. He also allows us to endure struggles and have wealth. The important thing is that we are to depend upon our God at all times and to accept what he gives us. Deuteronomy 8:2 says, “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.” Our God commanded the people of Israel to leave Egypt and go to the promised land from Egypt. However they did not obey God, so for 40 years, he trained them in the wilderness to be children of God.
Believers of Christ might be hardened in this world, but we can be sure that our God is still here with us. We can ask for his guidance, so that we can overcome our hardships in our world.
Rev Dr Je Cheol Cook
Hannah said in 1 Samuel 2:1, “my heart rejoiced in the Lord.” Hannah prayed to God and she discovered that her heart was pleased in God. In fact, heart is leb (לֵב) in the original language, Hebrew. It means the spiritual sound coming from the inside of our body. 1 Samuel 15:6 says, “man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Here, the heart is lebab (לֵבָב) in Hebrew. This means that people are interested in our outward appearance, but our God is more concerned about our heart, our inner feeling. When we pray to God, he considers that our heart, our inner feelings are more important than our outward feelings. He really expects his believers to pray in heart and in truth.
Hannah says in 1 Samuel 2:2, “there is no one holy like the Lord.” Hannah believed that God was holy. Holy is qadosh (קָדוֹשׁ) in Hebrew. It originally means “separated from our human world, which is impure and finite.” Our God is pure and infinite. He is also separated from this world. Our Lord says in 1 Peter 1:16, “Be holy, because I am holy.” God is holy and he wants his children to be holy. Holy is hagios (ἅγιος) in Greek, which means "likeness of nature with the Lord." It also means, "separated from this world, which is full of sins and wrongs.” Our God is holy and expects his people to follow where he goes.
Hannah said in 1 Samuel 2:3, “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.” We have already heard how Hannah prayed to God despite her rival Peninnah’s ridicule. Hannah never gave up and faithfully kept asking God for his guidance.
Jesus told this parable to his disciples. In Luke 18:1 says, “…they should always pray and not give up.” Our Lord does not want us to give up and we are to continue pray to him. Hannah never gave up. Instead, she prayed with power, truth, and confidence and from her heart. Our God was with her.
Hannah continued to pray. 1 Samuel 2:6-7, “The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.” Our God controls everything in this world; the life and death. He also allows us to endure struggles and have wealth. The important thing is that we are to depend upon our God at all times and to accept what he gives us. Deuteronomy 8:2 says, “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.” Our God commanded the people of Israel to leave Egypt and go to the promised land from Egypt. However they did not obey God, so for 40 years, he trained them in the wilderness to be children of God.
Believers of Christ might be hardened in this world, but we can be sure that our God is still here with us. We can ask for his guidance, so that we can overcome our hardships in our world.
Rev Dr Je Cheol Cook