Be Specific In Your Prayers

# 15 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 1:19 “Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.” The atmosphere has certainly improved in the Elkanah household! Hannah has left this Passover feast, confident that God has heard her prayer. One of the things we haven't talked about here is how specific Hannah's prayer was. She didn't just ask for a child, she asked for a male child! (v11) “And God remembered her.” The word remember is very interesting here. It's not like God has a bunch of sticky notes up in heaven where he tries to keep track of all the prayers that come His way. We have no need to worry that God is absent-mindedly running the universe. The Word “remember” (Zakar in the Hebrew) comes from a word that means “a male as the more noteworthy sex.” Now, guys don't get all puffed up about this. The importance of a male child for the Old Testament Jew is directly related to the child of promise (the Messiah) given to Adam and Eve in the garden. Ge 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." The important thing to remember here is that God specifically noted Hannah's request for a male child. The lesson for us, is, “Hey, it's okay to be specific in your petitions. God remembered Hannah's specific request and created a male child in her womb. He is able to remember your specific requests as well. So ask! Be specific! Knowing full well that if it does not violate His will, it will be granted. Father, thank You for being a benevolent Father, and as a child asks his earthly father for specific things, let us learn to ask you as well, knowing that You hear us and will not withhold any good thing from us.