A FERVENT SPIRIT

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 1

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 1:10

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.

Today we begin 1st and 2nd Samuel. These books tell us of the life and times of Samuel — Judge, Prophet, and Priest. It was Samuel who appointed the first two Kings of Israel, Saul and David.  The birth of Samuel is a miracle of God. His mother, Hannah, was childless. Like Sarah before her, she experienced intense sorrow because of her inability to conceive. She took her anguish to God in prayer again and again, so much so that Eli, the Priest, thought she was drunk. God intervened for her, and her answered prayed also became part of God's long-term plan to raise up a mighty man of God.

Let us remember that "fervent effectual prayer avails much" according to James 5:16. God does not violate human free will; therefore, our high level of fervency is a sure sign that our wills are surrendered to God's will. Hannah and Samuel teach us that God responds directly in proportion to the level of our obedience and fervency in prayer.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, we pray, as Your disciples asked You, "Lord, increase our faith!" Your response to this request calls for some "fervent" action on our part. Please grant us the grace to put into practice Your means of increasing our faith. Amen.

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