Day 19 of 21 Days of Prayer. BARREN AND BROKEN. It was customary for the people of Israel to go to the Tabernacle once a year. Hannah, a barren woman, was stricken with anguish, sorrow, and disgust because she did not have a child. As she cried bitterly, she began to whisper a prayer coupled with a vow to the Lord.
Hannah prayed, “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”
Hannah prayed with her lips moving but without vocals. The prayer was so profound that Eli the priest thought she was drunk. After she confirmed that she was not drunk but praying to the Lord out of deep anguish and sorrow, Eli granted the blessings of God upon her.
Hannah and her husband, Elkanah, returned home to Ramah. There she conceived as the Lord remembered her plea. Later, Hannah gave birth to Samuel and kept the vow she made to the Lord. After the child was weaned, Hannah took Samuel back to the Tabernacle to leave him there with the Lord to fulfill the promise.
BARREN AND BROKEN
Like Hannah, there are times we are too broken to pray. The brokenness comes out of a desire to fulfill something that you know you were designed to do but it has not happened yet. You’re just not broken, you are barren.
You’re doing everything within your strength to make it happen, but still you do not see the manifestation of the promise.
You’re still barren and broken.
You’ve been faithful on the job, but the promotion is nowhere in sight. You’ve been faithfully sowing seeds, but instead of you being blessed everyone around you is being blessed.
You’re still barren and broken.
Everyone around you is getting promoted, but you’ve been in the same position for the last 10 years.
You’re still barren and broken.
Everyone around you is getting breakthroughs, but you are known for breakdowns.
You’re still barren and broken.
Your eyes are so focused on the blessings everyone else is receiving until it’s left you like Hannah, full of sorrow, anguish, and disgust.
You’re still barren and broken.
You’re so broken all you can do is drag yourself to the Tabernacle.
You’re barren and broken but not forsaken.
You’re barren and broken but not without hope.
You’re barren and broken but not without confidence.
It takes a wealth of confidence to journey to the Tabernacle to have a conversation with God after you’ve been barren and broken all your life.
God will use your barrenness and brokenness to build your confidence when it seems like all hope is gone.
Hannah journeyed to the Tabernacle to have a conversation with God. She was so barren and broken all she could do is whisper a prayer to the Lord. Hannah laid her barrenness and brokenness on the altar.
God heard her confident prayer. When Hannah left the Tabernacle, she was no longer sad. She was no longer broken. She left assured of the promises of God. She left the Tabernacle with some assertiveness.
Not only did God hear Hannah, she later conceived a child. God kept his promise and she kept her vow to the Lord.
It may seem like your dreams will never be fulfilled, but God will not despise a broken and repentant heart.
It’s time for you to take a journey to the house of God.
Lay your barrenness on the altar.
Lay your unfulfilled dreams on the altar.
Lay your brokenness on the alter.
With all of the strength you have inside of you, whisper a confident prayer to the Lord.
A confident prayer is a prayer of hope.
A confident prayer is a prayer of faith.
A confident prayer is a prayer of love.
A confident prayer is a prayer that says I believe in the God that I serve.
A confident prayer is a prayer that believes the promise even though it has not been seen.
A confident prayer is a prayer that lets God know that although you will receive the blessing, you will give it back to Him for his kingdom, for his glory.
In other words, a confident prayer asks for the promise but keeps the vow.
Perhaps, Hannah whispered the prayer with so much confidence because she finally realized that what she was asking God for was not for her to keep but God entrusted her with a son because He knew she would give him back to the Lord.
Your barrenness and your brokenness will end when you realize that your blessing is not for you but for those you will serve. When you learn to pray beyond your needs and see the needs of others, God will hear you!
SCRIPTURE READING
I Samuel 1:9-28
Psalm 51
LET’S PRAY
O’ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, I know You won’t let me down. I’m not the first barren and broken person to approach you. You are no respect of persons. You did it once and you’ll do it again. O’ Lord, look upon my sorrow, look upon my anguish, and look upon my disgust. It’s left me barren and broken. I leave my barrenness and brokenness here at the altar. My barrenness and brokenness has given me strength to see beyond myself. Holy Spirit bless me so that I can be a blessing to others, in the name of Jesus, amen.
~Inspiring hope and seasoning faith, Dr. Regina M. Daigre