And she said, “Pardon me, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my request which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

What is one thing you have prayed for and waited for God to provide? All of us come to some point in life where we realize a lot is outside our control. Hannah’s desire was for a child. When God provided her with a son, she remembered God’s faithfulness and responded rightly. She dedicated her son to God in gratitude for all He had done.

Hannah’s testimony teaches us much about persistent prayer and what we do with answered prayers. Instead of feeling entitled, Hannah came to God in humility and walked with Him all along the way. Her relationship with God was not dependent on receiving from God but was based on her love and trust in Him. How do you come to God with requests? Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Like Hannah, we can come to God in prayer and thanksgiving, not just for what we can get from Him but in trust that He is with us every step of the way.

• When was a time you waited for God’s provision? What happened?
• What is the difference between trying to get something from God and walking with God?
• Pray and thank God that He walks with us in times of need and gives us His peace.