1 Samuel 1:11 And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
The spiritual position of prayer will either make it an atomic prayer or an ordinary petition. A citizen of a state can appeal to the Parliament by a written petition as the last resort. If they are not satisfied with the judgement by the court, a written petition can be sent to the Parliament for their consideration. There are special petitions and public petitions. A special petition is a specific request for a personal relief from the State however; a public petition is when a group of citizens with similar interests request a general relief.
Majority of our prayers are like “general petition” for a general relief. Bible scholars estimate that Hannah’ would have been barren for about two decades before she had Samuel. A Jewish man will be forced to take a second wife after 10 years of infertility in his marriage. Hannah’s husband Elkanah had two wives and his second wife Peninnah had sons and daughters. During the feasts and family get-togethers Peninnah insulted and demeaned Hannah. Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her (1 Samuel 1:6). After one of the heart-wrenching gatherings, Hannah fled to pray, probably in the court of the women. The High Priest Eli was sitting on the porch to observe the people who came to pray.
Women were not allowed in the inner court but the God of the universe came to meet Hannah in the outer-court as her prayer was poignant, succinct, sincere and specific.
Poignancy is an ammunition to atomic prayers:
1. Specific: Specific petitions get specific solutions and so pray specific prayers. As long as Hannah prayed for a child (for about two decades), her prayer was in the public pool but when she prayed a specific prayer for a son and dedicated him as a priest and a prophet, her specific request was answered immediately. Are your prayers in the public pool or specific petition bucket?
2. Sincere: Hannah’s prayers were silent but sincere. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk (vs 13). Poignancy will touch the heart of God.
3. Sober: Hannah made a vow. A vow that will draw us close to the Lord and walk righteously before Him is a solemn vow. A vow to spend the first few minutes or hours of the day in prayer, to read the Word morning and evening and/or to fast regularly are ammunition that will turn our petitions into atomic prayers. Make sober and serious vows not impetuous, emotional and frivolous promises.
Specific and sincere succulent petitions are powerful atomic prayers.
1 Samuel 1:10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.
Prayer: God of Compassion, guide my petitions to be sincere, specific and sober and my vows to be meaningful and faithful. Amen.
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