Bible Study: 1st Samuel 1, 1 to 8. Mark 1, 14 to 20.
The beautiful thing about the Bible is that it is never antiquated, each
time we open it, it continues to speak directly to us. The story of the great
Prophet Samuel which opens our ordinary time season this New Year is one of
those stories in the Bible that reminds us that despite the number of centuries
that may have passed, despite how much society has changed, the human condition
remains the same.
The story of Samuel is one that we can relate with even in our own day
and time. It is a story that tells us who we are, what we should be and what we
are capable of becoming if we allow God step into our life through prayer. In
the course of this week, we shall get to learn more about PRAYER.
- Why do we pray?
- How should we pray?
- Where should we
pray?
- What attitude do we
bring to prayer?
- How do we tell
whether prayer is offensive or pleasing to God?
- What is the Prayer
of anointing?
Today we get to read about how about a man named Elkanah who had two
wives, Peninnah and Hannah, one with children and the other barren. It was not
bad enough that Hannah was without any children of her own, her rival Peninnah
took it upon herself to provoke and irritate Hannah constantly.
Like in the days of old and even now, society looks with scorn at a
woman who is childless. Inability to have children is always considered as
something worse than sickness. The woman begins to ask herself if she is still
a human being, she forgets her days of laughter and peace. People call her
names such as baby-eater, witch, unfertile ground, reckless woman and so on.
The pain of childlessness can be so much that certain women wish they were
never alive than to withstand such ridicule. This pain is aggravated by people
whose speech portrays a lack of acknowledgement that children are entirely
gifts from God.
Like Hannah, there are times we too find it difficult to succeed where
others are excelling. We may have all it takes physically, mentally or
financially and even be better than them in every standard, yet we simply
cannot understand why things fail to work out well for us. It is bad enough
that we face difficulties but it is even worse when we become the object of
laughter and ridicule. Nothing is a painful as knowing that you now have a
nick-name arising from your peculiar problem.
In the midst of our difficulties and pains, the easiest thing to do is
always to resort to tears! But then, crying only helps to unburden the heart
and clean the eyes. Crying has never solved any problem. Tears may win you
human sympathy but prayer will get you Divine Assistance. Humans may fail you
but God will never fail you.
In the Gospel passage, Jesus begins his public ministry officially by
calling his disciples. He is able to get a quick followership because he had
first prepared himself by a forty day prayer and fasting programme. This is why
when he said to Peter and Andrew, “follow me and I will make you fishers of
men,” there was no hesitation at all. Even the sons of Zebedee left their
father and the nets instantly. They were not hearing the voice of man but the
voice of God himself.
When things get really tough and it seems as if crying is the only thing
to do, go on your kneels in faith. Get into prayer today! Believe in prayer,
tap the power of prayer and your life will never remain the same again.
Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus, just as you began with prayer, may I begin this day and all
I do with prayer that I may succeed like you in whatever I do. I commit to you
my tears, fears and cares, take them and turn my situation around for good.
Amen.
God bless you. Good morning. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is
well with you. Happy new week.
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