I came across this painting in the internet, possibly of 1660, by Gerbrand Vanden Eeckhout (1621-1674), who was an understudy with Rembrandt for a while after 1630. This painting is presently in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, Oxford, England. The photo credit is to the museum. The painting is the depiction of Hannah presenting her son, Samuel after he was weaned, to Eli the priest, as an offering to God.
The paining came to my notice in the context of the daily morning and evening prayer broadcasted from the local church with devotional songs and a long prayer of confession and petition for healing and blessing. Ever since the stay at home order was in force to contain the corona infection, the congregational assemblies in the churches stopped and most churches conduct on line services. The corporate worship is one form of communion with God.
What happens if the this not possible such as it is now!
How else believers make their lives centred in God !
That is when I remembered the Old Testament Story of Hannah, the wife of Elkanah (I Samuel1:1-20), who was described as '..speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard'(v13), while she was in the temple.
Hannah was one of the two wives of Elkanah. The other wife of Elkanah, Peninnah had children. What is recorded about Peninnah is a disturbing news about her attitude towards Hannah(V.6). 'Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because thr Lord had closer her womb'.
Another painting I found in the internet portrayed this irritation Hannah received from Peninnah, which made Hannah even more prayerful. The scene in the background of this painting of a woman and children in a joyful conversation reveals a lot about the intense sense of loneliness Hannah felt. Hannah's face while in prayer although looks serene and composed, she was a suffering person subject to provocation from Peninnah. But her husband, Elkanah used to give Hannah a double portion of the offerings when he sacrificed on the altar (v5). Hannah was early loved of Elkanah and God form the reading of this passage.
Let me share five thoughts on praying in the heart from the Biblical narration of Hannah.
1. Carrying grief in her heart
The following painting of face of Hannah from an artist's perspective is a vivid illustration of the grief, with forehead wrinkled, moist eyes sorrowfully lifted up, mouth partially open and face in. a state of suspense, hands folded over each other and the body in a forward bent posture with shoulders resting !Every year during the temple festival, Penninah provoked Hannah so much so she wept and would not eat(v7).
Grief is an emotional experience arising out of sense of loss, sorrow and helplessness. What comes as a great agape expression of love and understanding is her husband's question to Hannah, 'Am I not better to you than ten sons(v.8)!
Hannah carried her grief on her heart but it was perceived and shared by her husband. To all of us who are husbands, this is a message for serious pondering on our behaviour towards our spouses when they are overtaken by grief on account of difficulty in work place, discord with in-laws, struggles with children or concern for her ageing parents!
I have come across some women in similar situation like Hannah, not being able to conceive. As they go through tow or three cycles of assisted reproductive procedure to conceive, they suffer intense physical pain due to injections or oral medicines they take. They have to go through several procedures which make them weak and exhausted! I wonder whether they feel supported enough! Unfortunately even their husbands too are in a similar situation of sorrow that a couple would need thoughtful support form others who care. Grief carried in heart can lead to loneliness which is a psychological experience of emotional upheavals which some cannot face well! Some who loose appetite, sleep or desire to relate normally might even to slip into depression!
Hannah carried grief in her heart, but responded to her husbands words of affection and got up and ate (v9). To be companions to those who carry grief in heart is a calling, which can help them to feel comforted.
2. Turned towards God
Hannah 'greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly'(v10). I like the order in this verse which reveals the way Hannah faced her grief before God. Her prayer at this stage seemed to be more for comfort than petitioning to God for a child. This prayer is an exercise to renew trust in God. When there was much provocation, anguish and loneliness, it was important for her to return to God and be assured of His reality in her inner being.
The story of Martha and Mary tells us something more about response to God in the midst of our concerns and demands. We read that Martha welcomed Jesus into her home (Luk10:38). But Martha got distracted by all her preparations (v.40) and lost sight of the guest at her home, where as her sister 'was listening to the Lord's word, seated at His feet'(v.39). Mary tuned in to listen and Martha got distracted.
Hannah recognised her need and turned that into prayer. She refused to be distracted by the insinuations she suffered by what she was receiving form Peninnah.
One common distraction that most of us suffer from is the commendation we receive for what we do or the criticism we receive for our acts of commission and omission. I am familiar with this experience during my involvement, with the governing council of CMC Vellore two years ago. There were major events which needed decision and choices and I felt overwhelmed by the pressures that came upon me from people around me. I felt distracted to defend the course of action I was proposing and overcame by criticism from the administration for choosing another course of action than they proposed. After a while of intense turmoil, I began to sense the futility of being overcome by distractions, but was guided to turn inward in prayer to remind myself of 'who I am and whose I am'! That was the beginning of a experiencing God's presence during a lonely valley experience in my life.
A major controversy came up in the life of Mother Teresa, from the international press accusing her of receiving donations from mafia for the work of missionaries of Charity. While she confessed that it was not her habit to check the credentials of all those who donated, she turned this into prayer and remained silent with no further defence or justification. Although some think of silence as an escape route, the Biblical narration of silence represents another truth of depth response to. difficult situation. Jesus of Nazareth remained silent when He was accused before Pilate for many wrong doings (Luk 23:9) Even Pilate appeared intimidated by the silence of Jesus.
It was when Hannah prayed to God she was overcome by sorrow and cried bitterly (I Sam1:10). I presume that this sorrowful state of the beginning of recovery for Hannah. She felt her helplessness, but felt comforted by turning to God. It was an experience of receiving peace within, and her cry was a symbol of release from her burden and feeling relieved from the accusations she suffered for not being able to be a mother. During counselling sessions, one might across a counselee overcome with grief and burst into crying, sometimes even unconsolably. This often is a cry of relief and recovery after which the counselee might feel lighter and freer to move on to rebuild his or her life.
When one turns to God, there is an interior consciousness of comfort and assurance to face the situation even when the circumstances have not changed.
3. Sought God in prayer
Hannah made a vow and said, 'O God of hosts, if though wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy maidservant and remember me, and not forget thy maidservant and give thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days fo his life..'(v11). It became a turning point in Hannah's life. From being overcome by the burden of barrenness Hannah seeks for the very thing that she cannot have normally in her life. This form of prayer is what we are often used to- to seek form God what we need in life.
In Hannah's prayer there is a candid expression of her intent. She was seeking for a son in order offer him to God. There is an intent to honour God through what she was seeking from God. Those who advocate the prosperity gospel seek for wealth and teach the followers of Christ that God is a God who blesses materially. I often wondered whether they seek after wealth to possess and enjoy it for oneself! In the case of Hannah she sought from God a son for her to offer him to God. She could not offer what she was not given.
Hannah desired to receive in order to to give it away. I remember a conversation with late Dr Paul Brand, the founder of leprosy rehabilitation and the hand surgery research department at CMC Vellore about all the laurels and honours he received during his pioneering work. He said, 'hat he received was for patients of leprosy and fo their rehabilitation'. Before he and his wife left India, he had left behind all the benefits for the rehabilitation of leprosy patients. The Karigiri hospital he was largely responsible to establish is a testimony to this fact, that Dr Brand received in order to give it away.
In the story of a widow putting two 'small copper coins' into the treasury, Jesus of Nazareth commented (Luke21:1-4), 'Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them'. This is worth reflecting upon. All the others, 'out of their surplus put into the offering, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on'(v4). This brings in a consideration about our approach to what we have been given. The widow was gave away what she received and others kept the plus to themselves and gave away a little. The theology of tithing gives sanction to wealthy people to keep their wealth and part with only a small portion. The pursuit of wealth is to keep accumulating.
The former president of the USA, Jimmy Carter is from a family of pea nut farming and served the American Navy. When his father died, he returned to take responsibility of the business, but got motivated to enter politics in 1963 in response to racial segregation in the US and to support the civil rights movement and became the senator in Georgia state and later became the governor of the state. While many give him only an average score for what he did as the 39th president of USA, he is credited with outstanding achievements during his post-presidency, to promote human rights globally and for establishing a charity Habitat for Humanity. When he lost the bid to Ronald Reagan for a second term, Carter told the White House press meeting, that he would not want 'to use his subsequent public life to enrich himself'. In 1982 he founded the Carter Centre to advance human rights and to alleviate human suffering, which led to help in advancing the quality of life of people in 80 countries. In his late nineties, he is considered to have used his post-presidency for promoting human wellness more than any other retired president of the USA, rather than seek wealth and promotion for himself. I have come across statements such as, 'he gave away what he had like the widow in the temple, in story of Jesus of Nazareth'! He did not seek to enlarge his surplus or seek after keeping his surplus, but was in the habit of giving away!
When one truly turns God, God becomes our resource and we tend to release our grip on our wealth, surplus and position.
4.Prayed in her heart
'As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips was moving, but her voice was not heard' (v13), so mush so the priest, Eli thought that 'she was drunk'!
This experience of speaking in her heart was after she 'continued praying before the Lord'(v12), which Eli noticed as she was in the temple for a longer time perhaps.
After Hannah sought for a son and offered him to God in prayer (v11), Hannah would have gone through an inner experience of hope and trust because of which, she silently entered into a contemplative experience of listening to her heart of gratitude, gladness and trust. Such spiritual experiences are referred to as 'prayer of the heart', where unknown to oneself, there is a resonance within a voice of God, to which one responds in silence or in whispers of love response. This experience of 'communion' is a depth experience of spiritual union with God, beholding Him in wonder and awe!
The Magnificat, in Luke1:46-55 is one such example of prayer of the heart spoken loudly. Equally significant is the blessing of Elizabeth to Mary when Mary visited her. 'And it came about that when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she cried out with a loud vice and said, 'Blessed among women are you and blessed is the fruit of your womb...' (v 41-42).
During prayer practice of interior silence, there are instances when the voice from within becomes a means for edification, instruction, blessings of others and a revelation of significance. The experience fo Cornelius of receiving a vision while in prayer and being guided to send men to Joppa to call of Simon peter is another sound illustration of a prayer of the heart becoming a guidance for Cornelius and his faith journey(Acts 10:1-8). While this was happening, Peter was in prayer (Acts 10:9-23) and Peter while reflecting on a vision he saw, the 'spirit said to him, Behold, three men are looking fo you. But arise, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself'(v19,20). It is during prayer of interior silence or waiting in silence or stilling our thoughts to descend to a deeper level of quietness within, we become familiar with the voice of God speaking to us. For that to happen verbal prayer would led us to be still as we are drawn into the mystery of silence where God speaks in voice we can feel and hear!
A verse which helps us to receive further exegesis on this mystical experience is: 'And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how rio pray as we should but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with goraninpgs too deep for words' (Rom 8:26). The prayer of the heart is therefore an experience of the Spirit praying with us as we stay in silence. One tradition of the desert fathers was to practice a prayer, 'Lord, Jesus, have mercy on me' as a way of preparing interior silence to move deeper into silence in appointed times of the day, to be present to Him who makes His presence known to us in silence.
So seeking God in prayer and receiving a prayer within while remaining silent, are two different experiences each complementing and expanding God consciousness in our lives.
Anna and I are grateful for having been invited to be in retreat with fifteen others for one month with Dr Hans Burki, who led us to experience the prayer of the heart by cultivating the habit got interior silence. It took both of us a few times of such retreat experience to go beyond our natural inhibitions to trust that silence is yet another way of experiencing the silence of God within our inner being.
Just as it was for Hannah, it is when we seek God in prayer, this longing to be silent would grow and open us to be listeners to the voice of God within.
5.Poured out her soul before God
When Eli, the priest wondered whether Hanna was drunk, Hanna had this to say to Eli, 'No my Lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit and I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord' (v.15).
Jesus of Nazareth came to such a point of pouring out his soul before God in the garden of Gethsemane, when He told his disciples,' My souls is deeply grieved to the point of death..' (Matt26:36-46). He went further from them and prayed three times, 'My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Thy will be done'(v42). When we come to a point of exhaustion of endurance or reasoning, there is a state of anguish within, which overwhelms us to a point of helplessness and despair, there is a spiritual consciousness of invitation to surrender to God and His will. This reminds us of our humanness and limitation to go beyond any further in enduring hardship or deprivation. Such occasions are not an end in our journey of faith, but an invitation to go beyond the existential and be taken into the transcendental consciousness of God and His mission even in such situations.
Hannah came year after year to the temple accompanying her husband to pray and she had come to the end of her resources to endure in not being able to be a mother. The identity of a married woman becomes complete culturally, only when she bears a child. Hannah having been denied of that grace lived a reduced life, which was what made her to be in grief, pouring out her heart before God. Fortunately her husband was a man with an understanding heart and compassionate attitude towards her.
The Biblical narration tells us that the 'Lord had closed her womb'(v5). If that was the consciousness with which Hannah lived, then she came to the temple to seek God to open her womb. Seeking God for what does not seem to be normally possible speaks a lot about Hannah's trust in God to do a miracle. She had not become weary of asking of God or waiting. The long years of waiting can make many of us cynical or raise doubt about he authenticity of God in human history.
Abraham got into a trap of his wife Sarah, who forced Abraham to sleep with her maidservant Hagar, because Sarah could not conceive (Gen16:4). This occurred after Abraham was promised a heir, 'This man (Eliezer) will not be your heir, but one who shall come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir'(Gen15:4). What Sarah and Abraham did to have a son through Hagar was a violation of waiting for God's timing of having a son. It is not the moral question that we are wrestling with here, but the failure to discern and abide by the voice of God.
Hannah tarried in belief and practice of prayer, which gave her the trust in God to unburden before God and tarry til God granted her desire.
The blessing of Eli, 'Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him' ( I Sam 1:17) was not just a statement of consolation, but an assurance for Hanna, because she responded by saying, 'Let your maid servant find favour in your sight'(v18). Hannah went and ate and 'her face was no longer sad'.
The change in her inner and outer disposition tell us about the effect of pouring out her state fo desperation in prayer before God.
I had a telephone call from a resident doctor who broke the news oaf his admission for a post-graduate course of his choice at CMC Vellore. At one point he had become desperate because he had to wait for two years for selection. During this period he could not go for entrance coaching in the way he planned. During his junior residency, he had a demanding clinical load because of which he did to get enough time to prepare. He felt that all the the planned did not fruity. That is when he turned to God in. state of helplessness. He said in the conversation, that, God opened the door for him when he could not do enough. All of us have such stories, when we have been given more than what we were eligible for or deserved.
The habit of turning to God gives us a place to come to and to depend upon.
Hannah carried grief in her heart, turned towards God, Sought God in prayer, prayed in her heart, and poured out her soul before God.
I heard the story of Makunda Christian Hospital, where Drs Anna and Vijay Anand have been working for the last twenty seven years. As they had a large stretch of land around the hospital, the government took over some land without paying any compensation. The government came to take over even more, when the hospital resisted as the land around the hospital was rich in bio-diversity and they desired it to preserve that way due to rare species of birds, insects plants, animals etc. The hospital turned this desire of theirs to preserve the land around the hospital as a bi-diverse area and the government deferred the plan. I got to hear the story as an emotional event in the life of the hospital.
There are times, when we cannot do anything more than what is possible in our reach. That is the time, turning to God grants us the desires of our hearts or God satisfies us with what we have not been given!
M.C.Mathew
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