Deep Calls To Deep

Hannah couldn’t have children, but Elkanah’s other wife, Peninah was quite fertile. What did Hannah do about it? What sin was in Hannah’s life? Why could she not have children? Was God punishing her?

Jesus told Peter, ‘Satan has asked to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you.” Hannah would birth the prophet Samuel, who would anoint David King. I don’t know if Satan had the power to shut up Hannah’s womb, but I know that Hannah had the power of God within her to pray to be able to birth a child! And she did birth a child, the prophet Samuel! Faith arose in Hannah. Determinedly she went to the temple to pray for God’s favor for a child. The Bible says her countenance had changed when she left. When she lay with her husband she knew the favor of God had come upon her and that he would open her womb. How did she know? What was it Jesus said? As you believe so shall it be done? What do you believe?

Hannah wasn’t Mary. An angel hadn’t prophesied of Samuel’s birth. In fact, she was taunted by the other wife and it hurt so much Hannah determined to beseech God until he answered her. That’s what trials are meant to do. Bringing forth character, they mold and shape us, and bring about transformation in our lives! She didn’t let the ‘things of this world weigh her heart down.’

Jesus said we would have trouble in this world, but… “Take heart, I have overcome the world.” We can either jump in the mud puddle for a pity party or we can get on the right side of bad news by believing God’s got a plan!

Personal relationship with God is available to us 24/7 and we can be sure our voices are heard in heaven because Jesus told us He has gone before us, He is the way, the truth and the life! His death, resurrection and ascension are the testimony of our faith, the atonement that has brought about our spiritual adoption as sons and daughters of the King of Kings! Our relationship with God includes conversational prayer that brings answers! As Lord of our lives He is able to lead and guide us in truth! But… it’s by faith...a faith in God Almighty, the one who was and is and is to come.

Anna was a woman of faith! Could Satan have known she would devote her life to praying for the birth of the Messiah? Was a plan devised to push her off the path of destiny? She became a widow after only seven years. She wasn’t devastated though, why? She had a relationship with God. The temple became her home for the rest of her life. She devoted the rest of her life to praying for the birth of the Messiah. And she saw the face of the child Jesus. What could have been intended for evil God used for good. God alone knows whether Satan was at work in either one of these women’s lives. Satan usually gets the blame when bad things happen. Who is ultimately responsible? While our enemy may have been at work, it is our own thoughts, words and deeds that bring about the results. Jesus said He had come to show us the way and He became that Way by revealing His relationship with the Father to the disciples and to all of us. It is through our relationship with God that we can know the way each and every day as Jesus did. He leads and guides us when we invite Him to be the Lord of our life.

We will have trouble in this world but Jesus said, ‘Take heart for I have overcome everything you are about to go through.’ Greater is he who is within you than he who is in the world! It’s deep calling unto deep- calling you to go deep into your relationship with God, don’t stop until God answers. He will!

Jesus said, “As you believe so shall it be done.” We believe, yet the oppression overwhelms us to a point that pushes our faith down. Hannah and Anna had a ‘deep calls unto deep’ experience with faith and by faith. We might say they were midwives that help us to pray through until God answers.

When hard things happen we look for why, what did we do, where did we go wrong? “Oh woe is me!” Remember what the disciples asked Jesus about the blind man? ‘What sin in his family brought this about, Lord?’ “No sin, but that the Son of man could be glorified.” Hello?

When you next wonder what you’ve done that brought about difficulty, remember- it’s about the Son of man being glorified! This is His promise and our opportunity to look to heaven and call out to God! Deep calls unto Deep! God is calling you to go deep. Dive deep into prayer and open the windows of heaven, His rain will come!

Father, we KNOW you are faithful! We KNOW you will answer us! We are born with a purpose to fulfill, we know you know the plans you have for us, plans to prosper us, plans to give us a future and a hope! We have purpose, we have destiny; for greatness in our lives, it is the hope of your glory. We want to be in agreement with you for our lives and the lives of our children, for our city and our nation and this continent.

1 Samuel 1, Luke 2:36,37.
Isaiah 54, Isaiah 61, Joel 2

Now is the time!

Susan Hill
bnfrsa@sentechsa.com