Each day during the month of March we will be sharing a devotional from a booklet written by Steve Love. Steve is a member of Canton First and a Traumatic Brain Injury survivor. If you would like a complete PDF of this devotional, it can be downloaded here.
Day 27
1 Samuel 1:12-15 (New International Version)
12 As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine.”
15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.
Hannah on one of her family visits to the Tabernacle of God was praying. She had a need which many today can not understand. She was not able to become pregnant. In that time in the history a woman who could not have children was scorn by society. Hannah took her need to God.
Eli the priest took note of Hannah as she was praying. We note that she was praying in her heart/mind/soul. Her lips were moving but she did not vocalize her prayer out loud. We do not have to use audio words for God to hear our prayers. People do not have to respond the same way we do to pray to God. What we all must do is pray in our heart/mind/soul.
Eli when he saw Hannah thought she was drunk. We who must live with a brain injury know what it is like to be accusing of being drunk. Brain injury can mimic drunkenness. I carry with me a card I attend from The Perspectives Network (www.tbi.org). It does not relive me of reasonability, but it helps to show authorities why I act in the manner I do. I would urge everyone who has to life with a brain injury to have one.
Hannah prays in her heart/mind/soul, some revere to it has praying in the spirit. It is when we are praying with every part of our being we touch the very heart/mind of God. God hears every pray we send Him with words or with out words. God know every motive behind our prayers. He knows when we pray out load if we are talking to him or just saying words to get the praise of men. What does it mean to pray to God?
When we pray to God we are talking to God. Couples, friends, family members and one who we are close with we talk with different then we do with those we do not know. There are those we can talk to about anything. We can share with them our deepest desire, wishes, and dreams. We know our secrets are safe with them. We know that they only want what is in our best inters so we listen to their advice they give us. We trust them, they care for us even when we do something just plan dumb. We take great pride and having someone like that in our lives. God want that type of relationship with us.
We can have that style of a relationship with Him. We need to follow Hannah’s example and learn to pray in our heart/mind/soul. Like all relationship it takes time to build that relationship we want with God. Think back to the relationship you have forged in our life. Was your best friend, the one who you share the deepest thoughts and dreams they type you have now from the start? Pray to God in our heart/mind/soul we will have that type of relationship with God.
Pray and thank God for all the people who are always there for us to share our deepest desires with.
Pray and thank God for being a God who we can have a real quality relationship with Him.
Pray and ask God to help us always to be able to pray to God in our heart/mind/soul.