Coffee With The Lord

I’ve encountered the conversations and so have you; both the negative and the positive – the griping and the grateful! Some are just “piling up complaints” episodes (a real downer that leaves everyone is a terrible mood) – others are characterized by the words of the old gospel song, “Count your many blessing”! Perhaps we need to do more than count them though… (although counting them is a good start)! How about “considering them” – or even “celebrating them”!!

My Bible reading today during “coffee with the Lord” brought me to Psalm 136, categorized as a “salvation history song” (in other words it is a psalm that God’s ancient people used to recall and rehearse God provision, protection and powerful saving acts on their behalf). Many scholars believe it was sung antiphonally by two choirs (one would sing out one of the blessings and provision of the Lord, the other would respond with the repeated grateful echo… “His steadfast love [“hesed” – Hebrew] endures forever!” (You’ll have to read the entire Psalm to capture the effect… I’ll give you a taste…

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods.

His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords:

His love endures forever.

To him who alone does great wonders,

His love endures forever…

“He remembered us in our low estate

His love endures forever.

And freed us from our enemies.

His love endures forever.

He gives food to every creature.

His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven.

His love endures forever. “

(From Psalm 136 NIV)

I’ve had enough of “piling up gripe” sessions… INSTEAD I’D LIKE TO INSTIGATE SOME “COUNT… CONSIDER… CELEBRATE YOUR MANY BLESSINGS” CONVERSATIONS, wouldn’t you?!

I read (and prayed personally) a powerful “apostolic prayer” this morning for dear fellow Christians… A prayer that we would be ready for the Lord’s return both personally and collectively (as His Church – the “Body of Christ”)…

“Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus…make you increase and abound in love for one another, and for all, as we do for you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” (From 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13)

Amen!!  Oh Lord may it be so!!!  Fulfill it within in us and among us!!!

Samuel… How significant was he within the historical record of Scripture?  How important is he today to people of faith?

His name is mentioned nearly 150 times in Scripture.  Two books of the Bible bear his name.  He was the most significant person bridging the gap between the moral decadence of the time of “the judges” and the time of Israel and Judah’s kings.  He “anointed” both Saul (a failed leader) and David (the prototypical king of Israel/Judah).  He performed priestly functions, yet he was neither of priestly linage nor a king.  Finally, he is mentioned among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.  What a significant leader among God’s people down through the ages!

So, let me ask this question… How did Samuel’s story begin?

Hannah, the wife of an Israelite man named Elkanah, was barren.  She felt marginalized and belittled within a culture that prized women bearing children. The taunts of her “rival” drove her to despondency and tears. One year, upon their annual visit to Shiloh, she poured out her despair silently to God near the entrance of the “tent of meeting.” Eli, the priest, observed her mouth moving, but no words were audibly spoken.  He scolded her and accused her of drunkenness.  She protested, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit.  I have drunk neither wind nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord!” (1 Samuel 1:15)  What was her silent passionate prayer?  “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look upon the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life!” (1 Samuel 1:10-11)

Eli, answered her, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to Him!”  And the Lord heard her prayer, and “in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked for him from the Lord!’” (1 Samuel 1:20)

Hannah followed through on her promise, took Samuel to Eli, who seems to have treated him like a son (who stood in stark contrast to his evil sons) and the rest is Biblical history!

And the lesson?  NEVER UNDERESTIMATE (OR DISMISS) THE POWER OF A MOTHER’S PASSIONATE PRAYER – a prayer “poured out” in anguish of heart in keeping with the description of it found in Romans 8:26-27: “The [Holy] Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” 

So women (and men) of faith, KEEP PRAYING – KEEP “POURING OUT” YOUR HEARTS TO GOD!  You can’t begin to imagine how eternally significant the answers to your prayers may be!