READ 1 Samuel 1
God gives a child to Hannah and Elkanah, after Hannah’s years of praying for a son.

INSIGHT
The grief of being childless drives Hannah to God. In Him, she finds her only resource for consolation. Even though children may cry when they are taken to a doctor by their parents, they still trust their parents in spite of fear and pain. Similarly we must still trust and cling to the Lord even though we do not understand why He does not deliver us from our pain. Just as children will someday understand about the doctor, we will someday understand about the pain.

PRAYER
Offer your praise to the Lord who will one day make all things in heaven and on earth right:
But he will judge the poor righteously  
and execute justice for the oppressed of the land.
He will strike the land with a scepter from his mouth,  
and he will kill the wicked
with a command from his lips.  
Righteousness will be a belt around his hips;  
faithfulness will be a belt around his waist.
The wolf will dwell with the lamb,  
and the leopard will lie down with the goat.
The calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf
will be together, and a child will lead them.
They will not harm or destroy each other
on my entire holy mountain, for the land will be as full
of the knowledge of the Lord
as the sea is filled with water (Isaiah 11:4-6, 9).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving. Pray this confession as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Be gracious to me, God,
according to your faithful love;
according to your abundant compassion,
blot out my rebellion (Psalm 51:1).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• Greater faith in the Lord
• A worldwide revival
• Your activities for the day
• Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing prayer:
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).