pour out my soul ...

I've been reading the Bible today in the book called, 1 Samuel. I was thinking that it almost opens like a movie might ... communicating a series of incidents that lay the foundation for the rest of the book.

It's an opening that includes what we'd see as a bit of a scandel today: one guy with two wives who are not fans of each other. One named Peninnah with a bunch of children ... the other, named Hannah, with none despite her desire.

Peninnah continually rubs this fact into the heart of Hannah. Our anger builds against Peninnah.

The scene moves to the temple where Hannah is undone. She is weeping and is seen by a priest "pouring out [her] soul to the Lord." She is a woman deeply troubled, "praying here out of [her] great anguish and grief."

The priest speaks to her ... "Go in peace, and may the God of Isreal grant you what you have asked of him."

Then she went away and her face was no longer downcast.

This morning God reminded me that it is good for my health when I pour out my soul to Him. He's interested. The God who created the very heavens and this earth is interested in what I have deep within my soul ... nice!

One thing that I didn't add into the story above what that the pouring out of Hannah's soul happened while she was standing in the temple. In the midst of her tears, she was speaking to the Lord all of her anguish and her lips were moving as she did it. No words came out of her mouth - they didn't have to - God heard.

Here's my point ...

She was totally wrapped up in expressing her heart to the Father. This was no token prayer prayed while sitting on a church bench in silence. This was a deep prayer prayed with everything she had. It was real. Not supressed. It was prayed with her everything.

How often do I (we) allow ourselves to be undone before the Lord ... to pour out our souls to Him with everything we have ... even if we look a bit foolish. Hannah was untamed in her deepest prayers. That model of praying she has provided should never stop impacting me.

The introduction to the movie wraps up as she leaves the temple, goes and eats, sleeps with her husband the scene cuts away with a shot of a delivery room nine months later as her son - the answer to her prayers - is being born. The rest of the movie is about this boy ...

Cool ...