“13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.” – 1st Samuel 1: 13 & 14
We must be careful not to confuse motion with action and movement with accomplishment. Spiritually speaking, simply because we are no longer docile does not mean we are inherently productive. In fact the opposite can often occur; when we find stillness we accomplish much.
It is fact that the world looks on with confusion, God with delight, and Satan with terror when we pray. Now allow me to be very clear, I do not mean a brief bowing of the head and mumbling some inaudible sentences that you once picked up in Sunday school long ago. The kind of prayer that really gets things done is a “Hannah” type prayer (see 1st Samuel 1). Praying with such a sincere desire for God to hear your petition that you banish all thought of what those around you think, and is prepared to wholly consecrate whatever is required to be heard. It is so much more than a hap hazard conversation to yourself; you are bowing to God, and pouring out the desires of your heart. There is no movement or motion found in this, but great profit and much accomplishment. Consider Hannah; Eli scoffed at her and thought her a drunk. He could not see that the nation of Israel was forever changing by the earnest, heartfelt prayer of one woman. She was physically still, but spiritually, much was accomplished. Change was on the horizon because of her prayer and her vow.
In our lives the same can be true. I really believe that often people reject Christ not because they do not believe in him, but because they do not believe in the simplicity that is in him. The devil would have them think “Can my whole really be changed by a simple prayer?” There is not enough “doing” involved, but the Bible says that if we BELIEVE, we shall be changed. The motion and movement clearly is not there (although when you get forgiven and filled with the Holy Ghost you then feel like moving), however much is accomplished and great is the profit of it; but in only comes with a prayer AND a vow. You must pray to God and confess, but also you must vow that he is Lord of your life and forever will be. There must be a “dying out” and there must be a turning away. To the random on looker a penitent soul appears foolish, but in the eyes of God he is wise. To the outsider you appear to have lost your way and your good sense; but in fact, you have found that which your soul desires. So they question is not can a simple prayer change your life; the question is: “Do you believe a simple prayer can change your life?” “Are you ready to pour your heart out to God and be forever changed?”
