No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2 NLT
There once was a woman named Hannah who desperately desired a son. Her husband had a second wife who had given his children, so he wasn't concerned that Hannah had none, but he also treated her differently. The second wife was cruel and made fun of Hannah. In her sorrow, she cries to the Lord and makes a promise if given a son; she will dedicate him to the Lord's service. In due time she bares a son, whom she names Samuel. Upon presenting him to the priest for service, she offers a prayer of thanks.
Like Hannah, there may be times in our lives when we desperately want something. First, we are likely to obtain it by ourselves. While we're not given the details, we can safely assume Hannah had reason to know she was barren. Next, in our desperation, we turn to God, and he answers. It's the last thing; I wonder, though, if we lack in the follow-through–offering thanks for our answered prayers, acknowledging God's compassion, kindness, and love in making what seems impossible possible. We received the answer not because of some unexpected change in our situation or something we did; it wasn't by our power, but because by faith, we asked God, and in his grace, he answered.
Most holy and gracious God, we offer this prayer of praise for all our answered prayers. We come in faith with the confidence that you will grant us our needs and desires according to your will. Yet, we forget to respond to your grace with thanks when you answer. Forgive us; we pray and accept these our humble thanks. We acknowledge you as our Lord most holy and the Rock in which we place our trust. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
