Hannah desired a child.  Even though her husband Elkanah gave her a double portion, Hannah was tired of being provoked bitterly by her rival Peninnah.

Hannah vowed to the Lord, if You will give me a child I will lend him to the Lord as long as he lives.  Hannah poured out her heart in Shiloh in the presence of Eli who thought she was drunk 1 Samuel 1:13.  God heard Hannah's prayer, she found favour with God.  Hannah's countenance changed, she was no longer sad.

Hannah returned home conceived and bore Samuel. She weaned him and took him to Shiloh and left him with Eli.  Hannah fulfilled her vow to the Lord.

Hannah went on to have three more sons and two more daughters.  Yet she prays in 1 Samuel 2:5 ' even the barren has borne seven and she who has many children has become feeble'.  Samuel, three sons and two daughters makes six children.  Who is the seventh?

I believe in the process of her intercession, Hannah became pregnant not just with Samuel but with the purposes of God.  Hannah prayed for a change in the priesthood and Samuel grew up before the Lord and anointed David as King who would conquer the whole of Israel and restore the Ark to Mount Zion.

Do not despise your need.  Let it be your threshing floor to bring you to a place of prayer where you will receive a mandate to pray for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done.  In the process our need is met and God's purpose fulfilled on the earth.

Be encouraged the time to favour Zion has come.  The Lord wants to pour out His Spirit upon us in our meetings and bring a mighty harvest.  He wants us to play a part in the throne room with Him.  Our Great High Priest will draw us into the Holiest of All and there we will change the course of our nation on our knees. 

Sarah Davis