God Cares About Our Requests

A question that every Christian will ask themselves at one time or another is, “How do I pray?” We know the Bible says in Philippians 4: 6 for us to, “present your requests to God.” But we’re often at a loss as to how. We can feel like we’re asking too much, or that we’re asking for the wrong things.

But the Bible doesn’t stop at showing us what we should do, it also gives us many examples on how to pray. From Jesus’ direction to the prayers of men and women throughout the Bible we can learn how to present our desires to God.

The story of Hannah is a reminder that God cares about our requests and He is faithful to respond. We often approach God with a laundry list of wants and desires, but Hannah approached God with a single request: “Give your servant a son.”

Hannah’s greatest need could only be met by an intervention from God Himself. Through tears and pain, Hannah made her case before the Lord. She made a solemn vow that if God would answer her prayer, she would dedicate the child back to Him.

We can learn four things from Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 1:1-2, 9-11:

1. She acknowledged God for who He is: the “Lord of Armies.”

2. She was specific in her request: “Give your servant a son.”

3. She submitted to God’s plan for her life. She called herself “your servant,” submissive to God’s plan.

4. She was hopeful. “I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.”

Sometimes our prayers are specific like Hannah’s request. God may answer our prayers quickly by saying “yes,” or, like Hannah, it may be years before He answers. God may even tell us “no,” but all His answers are designed to teach us to depend only on Him. 1 Samuel 2:1-3 says:

Hannah responded to God’s answer to her prayer with praise and thanksgiving. Her desperate prayer in chapter 1 turned to triumphant praise in chapter 2. Hannah rejoiced in God’s sovereignty and power. This is a pinnacle moment of Hannah’s dedication of Samuel, a declaration of fulfilling her vow and acknowledging God’s provision for herself and for the future of Israel.

Hannah praised God for:

• His holiness. “There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides you!” God is set apart; He stands over and separate from His creation. And only God can do the things He does.

• His infinite knowledge. Hannah declared God’s omniscience, His ability to have unlimited knowledge about everything.

Mary prayed a similar prayer in Luke 1:46-55. As a devout Jew, Mary had surely learned the prayer of Hannah and would use it in her own circumstances. Unlike Hannah, Mary had not prayed for a child, yet she recognized, as Hannah did, that God was at work doing something great…

Many times we’ve seen God answer a prayer exactly the way we prayed, but most of us have also waited a long time—or are still waiting—for God to answer a deep need. For many of us, it may seem that an answer to a painful circumstance is far away. Don’t give up. Continue to pray in faith, trust Him for the outcome, and be persistent in your petition. Jesus invites us to be persistent (see Luke 18:1-8)! And when He answers, be equally persistent in your praise and worship.

Live It Out

Be intentional this week to bring your requests to God with persistence. Consider these ways to pray with faith and persistence:

• Pray. If you’re not in the habit of praying, begin. Do more than just offer casual prayers; set aside time each day for an uninterrupted conversation with God with no distractions.

• Pray with others. Share your needs with others. “Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them” (Matt. 18:19-20).

• Pray with a journal. Begin a prayer journal or write down your prayer requests. Record Scriptures that speak of God’s character and His plans for your life. Journal about the ways you see God working in the midst of your need.

Sometimes an affirmative answer to prayer may seem unlikely. But God has given us plenty of examples in the past, and many in the present, that remind us to continue to pray with confidence.

Excerpted from Bible Studies for Life: Living by Faith by Kelly D. King. Published by Lifeway Press®. © 2019. Used by permission.

Whether you are young or old, if you follow Jesus, you are a disciple. But the quality of your discipleship isn’t measured by how well you can answer questions. Discipleship is about being transformed into the likeness of Jesus. And transformation starts in the Word. That’s why Bible Studies for Life is carefully crafted to help kids, students, and adults purposefully become more like Jesus every day.