Audience of One

 

 

"Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now." 1 Sam 1:16 (NKJV)

 

 

This is a classic example of someone's earnest heart's cries being misjudged and misunderstood by another.  What makes it more sad, is that in this passage, Hannah was praying to her God about the distress in her heart.  That is when the priest falsely accused her of being drunk.

 

The sad truth is that even when we are earnestly entreating the Lord in prayer in the altar, people can misjudge our motives.  Other Christians, maybe even ministry leaders, can falsely accuse us of wrongdoing.  No human being gets it right every time.  There will always be misunderstandings.  But like Hannah, we cannot quit asking, we cannot quit praying.  Even though she was belittled,  God heard her prayer.  And He answered! 

 

I will always remember when one of our sons was small, he was saying grace over the evening meal.  He was praying so quietly that I could not hear him.  I said, "Son, you need to speak up when you are praying."  His response both tickled and sobered me because he said, "I was not talking to you."  He did not say it in rebellion or disrespect.  He was honestly puzzled about why I had to eavesdrop on his conversation with God.  Touché.  Our prayers cannot be about impressing others.  They have to be about reaching the heart of the Father.

 

Pouring our heart out to God should be natural for His children.  We should bring out concerns and petitions to Him.  Even when words fail us, He understands  and hears the cries of our heart. He hears and moves on our behalf.

 

Dear Lord, please help me to be a person of persistent prayer.  Help me to lift my voice for an audience of One.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri