March 15, 2025 - 1 Samuel 1-3

In Thursday’s chapel sermon Pastor Ed Moore talked about God’s providence and that all of creation, from the largest structures to the tiniest bits, are under him.  He cares for it all (After all, he has created it, and he has an interest in it.), he directs it, he holds it all together, and he does all this for the good of his own and in response to our prayers.  You can’t find a better example of this than the story about Hannah and Samuel.  Barren, yet so desperate for a baby, Hannah was so distressed she would not even eat.  So, what did she do?  She did exactly what she should have done and that which we should always do.  She prayed to the God who orders all things, even the fertility of the womb:  “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life” (1:11).  Furthermore, “she continued praying before the Lord” (1:12).  Reminds of the persistent widow of Luke 18 and her continued crying out to the unjust judge.  A big difference here is that our God is just, and he delights to answer our prayers.  We should cry out to him, always.

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!

that calls me from a world of care,

and bids me at my Father’s throne

make all my wants and wishes known.

In seasons of distress and grief,

my soul has often found relief,

and oft escaped the tempter’s snare

by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!   --W. W. Walford (1845)