Читать книгу Beyond the Horizon - Harry A. Renfree - Страница 43

(Part One)

February 06

There is very touching story of answered prayer in the Old Testament concerning Hannah.

After many years of marriage, Hannah had no children and seemed unable to bear children, despite her longing for them. In a society where children were particularly cherished—both for their own sakes and to build up the nation—her state of childlessness became almost unbearable. Constantly, Hannah traveled to the house of the Lord to pray . . . and to cry . . . for she was being mocked about her condition. One day while praying in the Lord’s house, Hannah made a vow. If God would give her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord. So earnest were her prayers and so copious her tears that Eli, the priest–in–charge, chided her for being drunk—her lips were moving, but no sound was coming. “‘Not so, my Lord,’ Hannah replied, ‘I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD’” (1Samuel 1:15).

“Eli answered, ‘Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him’” (1 Samuel 1:17).

God did. And she named her son Samuel, meaning “heard of God” in Hebrew.

True to her word, Hannah took the boy back to God’s house as soon as he was weaned and there presented him to Eli the priest for service to the Lord God. “I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD. And he worshiped the LORD there” (1 Samuel 1:27–28).

Samuel, of course, became one of Israel’s greatest prophets.

Some of us have prayed for many years for some dream to come to pass or for someone near and dear to us to be touched by God. God still answers prayer.