April 19, 2020
My dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given you for today is from the book of 1 Samuel 1:27 “For this child I prayed and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.”
From the above passage we come to know about Hannah who is one of the two wives of Elkanah. The other wife being Peninnah, had given birth to Elkanah’s children, but Hannah remained childless. So one day, Hannah went up to the temple, and prayed. She wept with great sorrow of heart. Eli the High Priest heard her weeping bitterly at the altar. Hannah was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. She made a vow saying, ‘’Lord if You will give me a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.” When Eli enquired the reason for her weeping she told him that she was a woman of a sorrowful spirit, therefore She had poured out her heart to God. Eli said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel will grant your petition.”
Dear reader, Hannah conceived and bore a son. And called his name Samuel, God looked into her affliction and heard her cry and answered her prayers. During those days there was a general neglect of religion in the nation. Some of them worshipped other gods. But Elkanah kept his integrity. His resolution was that he and his house should serve the Lord. So God honored this zealous spirit and blessed him and his wife Hannah with a son “Samuel. God not only heard the prayer of Hannah but hears everyone who cries out to Him in truth and spirit.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, I would like to share a testimony about a family I met when I went to Australia in July 2017. And a family came to pray with me. When I asked them what I should pray for? They told me about their elder brother who was in America. They had been married for almost ten years but they had no children. So I prayed for them through the phone. I sent God’s word and believed that He will perform a miracle. I said to the Lord. “You are a God of miracles You hear the cry of the needy. You are a God who does more than what we ask, think or pray. Therefore kindly bless my son with the gift of a child. You are a God at hand and a God afar off. I sent the word through the phone hoping that God would perform a miracle. The word took a form within her womb, and she conceived three children in her womb. Praise be to God.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, God saw her affliction and blessed her with three children. I again went to Australia in the month of July 2018, that family came again to meet me. I couldn’t recognize them. I asked them what I should pray for? Then they narrated the entire episode that took place in 2017 during my previous visit. They said, that God had blessed their elder brother after I had prayed with two girls and a son. They were filled with great joy. They said, that they had come to thank me. God sent forth the word and performed a miracle. God will perform a miracle for you too if you wait upon Him. God bless you.
Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord I thank you for answering our prayers. You are in heaven and You do what you please. When we call You in distress, You hear our cry. Lord we praise You for Your kindness. Bless all those who are in need of a child and may they too rejoice in You all the days of their life for blessing them with a gift of a child.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
