Weekly Prayer Devotional

Praise

Then Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is  lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. "There  is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our  God. (1 Samuel 2:1-2)

And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for  he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will  call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name.  His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has  performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their  inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the  humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.  (Luke 1:46-53)

Lament

In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. 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." As she  kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart,  and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and  said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine." "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. (1 Samuel 1:10-15)

Prayers for Our World

I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois  and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I  remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my  hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of  self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his  prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has  saved us and called us to a holy life-- not because of anything we have done but  because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before  the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior,  Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light  through the gospel.( 2 Timothy 1:5-10)

Hope

Our Father who art in heaven, 

(we do not know if Martha was a mother or not, but what she proclaimed IS our hope  which is the resurrection) as Peter says, God “has given us new birth into a living hope  through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. . .”(1 Peter 1:3)  "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus said to her, "Your  brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection  at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes  in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?" "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the  Son of God, who was to come into the world." (John 11:21-27)