Tuesday, January 9th
1 Sam. 1: 9-20 Mark 1:21b-28
Theme: God, answers prayers
In the 1st reading of today, from first Samuel, we are presented with the wonderful prayer of Hannah to God, requesting for a male child, and she made a promise to God, if her prayer is answered, she was going to give the child to God. She was a woman who needed a male child, and she took it to God in prayer. Her prayer request was answered by God, and she fulfilled her promise to God. She presented her son Samuel to God, just like she promised when she was making her request from God. In the 1st reading of today, there are two points I would want to reflect on, and they are the power of a sincere prayer, and the fulfilling of any promise we make to God.
The power of a sincere prayer from the heart can never be taken for granted, a woman in grief because of having a male child, and her request was granted promptly by God. We serve a God that loves us so much and understands whatever we are going through in our lives. When we go to God with a sincere need, he will readily come to our assistance, but we must learn to wait for his time. The answer to your prayer may not be as prompt as you want it to be, but it doesn’t mean that God will not answer the prayer; he will, but at his own time. When you deal with God, you have always go to him with faith, believing that he will answer the prayers you have made to him.
Another point I would also like to reflect on is, her trust in God and appreciation for a favour she has not yet received. She made a promise that if God answers her prayer, she will present her son to God, and when her prayer was answered, she fulfilled her promise to God. We all have made promises to God at one point or the other in our lives, especially when we receive the sacraments, how well are you doing with the promise you have made to God? Have you fulfilled them like Hannah, or still fulfilling them? This is a question we need to reflect on today. We pray that the good Lord will grant us the grace to be faithful to our promises, in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit, Amen. Peace be with you.