I Want a Baby

(1Samuel 1:10-11a Message Bible) Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to GOD and cried and cried-inconsolably. Then she made a vow: Oh, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, If you'll take a good, hard look at my pain, If you'll quit neglecting me and go into action for me By giving me a son, I'll give him completely, unreservedly to you.

(1Samuel 1:20) Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. She named him Samuel, explaining, "I asked GOD for him."

I do not think it is possible for a man to fully comprehend the agonizing pain a woman feels when she wants a baby, but cannot conceive. A woman's desire to be a mother has to be one of the strongest of all desires and cannot be totally satisfied apart from having her own baby.

Even though Hannah was loved by her husband, she still lived in uncontrollable sorrow because of her barrenness. Her sorrow seemed to drive her deeper into intercessory prayer in appealing to God for His favor. Because of her constant prayer she finally caught the attention of the man of God who prophesied that she would soon have her own baby...which she did.

I have known many women over the years who, like Hannah, lived an unfulfilled life because they could not have children. As a matter of fact, over the years I have broken the spirit of barrenness over several women who went on to have children and live a fulfilled life as a mother.

One night after preaching in an evening service I began praying for people in a prayer line...as I customarily did. I stopped in front of a young lady and asked, "Are you trying to have a baby?" She began weeping and said, "Yes." I told her that she was going to have a baby because as soon as I laid hands on her I saw a light explosion in her which I believed to be the spirit of a new life.

Nine months later to the day, I was back in that same church preaching when the news came that this young woman had just given birth to a healthy baby boy. The agony and pain of barrenness in her life had been broken and motherhood was now a reality, as it had been in the life of Hannah.

There is a principle in this story that applies to both men and women. That principle...unless one gives birth to the purpose for which they were created, then their life is unfulfilled and they will live in sorrow as did Hannah.

In the case of a woman, the sorrow may be that of not having a child. In the case of a man the sorrow may be that of not fulfilling the destiny for which he was created. Not conceiving and giving birth to one's purpose is a painful experience.

I am in Romania at the time of this writing and I am able to see the results of initiative barrenness in the faces of many of the older people. People who lost personal hope while under the influence of communism are still evident. The scar that hopelessness leaves on one who has their personal initiative stolen is devastating. When men and woman are robbed of their potential, they are almost like the ‘walking dead.

Father,

I pray for those who feel incomplete as Hannah did, unable to become pregnant with their dream. Help them to supernaturally conceive and deliver that which completes their lives. Lord, I pray that they will also follow Hannah's example by giving back to you the blessing which you give to them.

Amen