It’s clear from the opening of 1 Samuel—Hannah prays. She’s praying prayers of longing, lament, grief and supplication when we first meet her in chapter 1. By the second chapter, we hear exuberant prayers of rejoicing and joy! I want Hebron Church to be a people of prayer like Hannah—individually and corporately. It’s absolutely essential that we mature in one of the most key spiritual disciplines.
If prayer is indeed our opportunity to communicate with the living God, then it is not something to be taken lightly. We cannot afford to underestimate the value and importance of prayer in strengthening our relationship with the Lord and with each other in the Church. Prayer is necessary in the high and low times (and in between!)—He is the One we seek to commune with in the midst of it all!
An intimate connection with God is an awesome privilege and opportunity. Below are some practical models we can all recommit ourselves to this week.
SOME MODELS FOR PRAYER:
ACTS – Perhaps the easiest and most common model for prayer is when your prayer time is broken into four sections: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication (requests). Don’t allow yourself to rush through Adoration or Confession—these two areas will truly reveal your understanding of God and your own sinfulness. Perhaps look them up for yourself, and point out to others the four Scriptural examples of this type of praying…dig around in the Scriptures for these types of prayers to help you grow and mature.
Use Paul’s prayers – Praying through the prayers of Paul for one another is an awesome experience. Turn to Ephesians 3:14, Ephesians 1:15, Philippians 1:9, Colossians 1:9, 2 Thessalonians 1:11 and pray the prayer for other people, inserting his/her name when appropriate. For instance, “God I pray for ____ that You would count him worthy of Your calling, and that by Your power, You may fulfill every good purpose…” (2 Thessalonians 1:11).
Pray through the attributes of God – Again, an awesome way to grow in your intimate understanding of the nature of God. Spend time praising God for each of His attributes (holiness, love, mercy, justice, imminence, transcendence, etc.) and asking to be even more awed by them. Learn to talk with God intimately about God…who He is!
Prayer conversations – For many people praying is not easy. So, help each other by talking out what you could/would pray about. “I would like to thank God for…”, “I think God is amazing in the way He does…”, “I need God’s help…”, “I’m really wanting to ask Him for…”, “I hope God will forgive me for…” This way someone is getting a feel what/how to pray and it doesn’t feel so foreign—plus, I’m guessing that God understands the prayer if it is directed to Him directly or as part of a conversation.
In preparation for worship this week, read through Hannah’s prayer, 1 Samuel 2:1-10.
- What is the focus, the main point of Hannah’s prayer? How might that contrast with the prayer you might offer in Hannah’s situation?
- What qualities of God are evidently important to Hannah? Which does she stress and why?
- Look for a central verse—what candidates are evident in these ten verses for the most important? Why is the one you’ve chosen a fit summary of the whole?
- I have chosen in verse 9, “not by might shall a man prevail.” Why might this be something important to Hannah at this time? How might this speak to your own situation?
- The prayer culminates in verse 10 by talking about a king or an anointed one. This is the first time the Messiah is directly referenced in Scripture. What is Hannah’s understanding of the King-to-come?
By Henry Knapp