February 22
1 Samuel 1:17
Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
In this passage of scripture, Hannah had been begging God to send her a son. When Eli first saw Hannah, she was praying in her heart yet her lips were moving. Eli thought she was drunk. So Hannah told him what she had requested and this is the end of that conversation. Hannah then went her way.
Hannah was in a dark place at this time. Her heart's desire was to have a man child--a son. You may think she was bargaining with God when she promised to give the son right back to God. A woman in this culture was considered to be a failure if she was barren. Hannah had been praying for years for a child. But notice that during her time of heartbreak, she turned TO the Lord and not AWAY from Him. She was certain that He was the only One who could grant her wish.
The same thing is true for us when we are in dark and trying times. Those times when we feel that we are a failure. Those times when we feel that we are being kept from our heart's desire. We have to turn toward God and not away from Him during those times. God is so good, so gracious to us. He is the God of Hope and the God of Peace and Promise. He can give us exactly what we need. We know that He can calm us and guide us and give us joy. He can turn things right in our world when we are sad and hurting. Jesus Himself can tell us to "Go in peace." And He will grant our petition when the time is right.
As we go through this day, let us remember that in our darkest times that God can grant our prayers.
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