I was once told that we should not cry out to God with a feeble plea. I was told that our plea should be righteous. But I still believe that God listens to a feeble plea. There have been times in my life that I did not have the strength to offer anything other than a feeble plea. The time I almost died and almost lost my only child, when she was diagnosed with disabilities that seemed so much bigger than she was. There are so many times that I recall making a feeble plea that God would help me in my time of need.
When I first brought up this topic on Facebook a friend reminded me of Hannah. (1 Samuel 1 and 2) Hannah was barren and she was tormented by her rival to the point that she would weep and not eat.
1 Sam. 1:10-11 In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. 11 And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."
The passage goes on to say that Hannah was in such a state that Eli, the priest, thought she was drunk.
1 Sam. 1:15-17 "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."
17 Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."
Her plea was not righteous. It was a feeble, heart broken plea to God that he would bless her with a son. She was pouring out her soul and praying out of her anguish and grief.
I like reading 1 Samuel 2:1-10. It is a different cry, but she is crying out to God in a new way. She has a renewed faith that came from a very feeble plea and an answered prayer.
1 Samuel 2:9 It is not by strength that one prevails.
It is not always in our strength that God can work in our lives. Sometimes he works through our anguish, grief, and brokenness. I believe that God listens to all who cry out to Him, whether the cry is feeble or righteous. I believe that He rejoices when we cry out to Him whatever the situation we are in. I believe He meets you where you are.
I like the words of Amy Grant's new song, Better Than A Hallelujah. The chorus goes like this:
We pour out out miseries,
God just hears a melody.
Beautiful, the mess we are,
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.
This blog written by Wendy Spoon.
Related Post - The Gladness of Sadness
Hey Wendy, I agree completely. I don't know where we ever got the idea that we have to approach God "with righteousness." To me that sounds like putting on a mask or an act with God. God wants us to pour out our hearts to him in whatever condition they're in.
ReplyDeleteDavid and his psalms are a great example. God called David "a man after His own heart," and David was completely raw with God. David came to God in his sorrow, his grief, his anguish, his pain, and his shame as well as in his joy, his strength, and his gratitude.
I like Gerald May's feeblest plea of all...
ReplyDelete"See God? This is who I am."
It doesn't ask much. It simply says, "Look." And maybe that is sometimes enough.
Ronnie and Wendy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking to my post. If I can figure it out I will reciprocate (I am still new at this thing).
WEndy, you make a great point. The whole starting point of prayer is humility. If fact, why would we even bother to pray if we thought we could handle it all ourselves. It is the weak and humble who will truly pray.
--Richard