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Archbishop Gloria GraceSunday, September 7, 2014
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GOD OF SILENT TEARS

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he story of Hannah and Jabez are good examples of this. The Bible records that Peninah, the other wife of Hannah's husband had many children and Hannah did not have any. God blocked her womb. Hannah's childless problem was caused by God, who in His sovereign purpose of using Hannah to bring a prophet unto the nation of Israel through her, blocked her womb until He had spiritually prepared her for the position. God was going to use Peninah to provoke Hannah not to accept her situation the way it was, but to travail in prayers which was needed to bring forth such a son.

Peninah therefore was an instrument both for Satan to grieve Hannah, distract and destroy her life through heart attack through constantly keeping her in grief, and in the hand of God to keep her seeing the need to cry out to God for help. I could also say that the weapon the enemy meant to use to destroy Hannah was turned out to become a thorn that would push her closer to the throne of God. However we look at the situation, God turns even the worst situation of our lives for our good when we cooperate with Him.

Hannah was constantly reminded that she did not have any son. Her heart was so much grieved that her husband continued to console her and even gave her double portion for the yearly sacrifice at Shiloh while Peniah had portions for her children.

As Peninah continually taunted Hannah even at Shiloh, she continued to see the need to turn her battles over to the Lord. She grieved so much in her heart that she refused to eat any food at Shiloh. After the sacrifice, she could not go home. Her heart was very heavy. Of what use would going home be to her if she was returning to the taunting and mockeries of Peninah and constantly reminded that she had no child, she stayed back in the house of God.

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."

Just as Hezekiah did when mocked, taunted and threatened by the king of Assyria, rather than answering back or fighting, Hannah kept silent and rather went to the House of God and deeply and silently wept before Him. She specifically asked God for a son and vowed to give him to the Lord. As she prayed, the priest of God Eli, who watched her lips move and her words not heard, mistook that for drunkenness but she explained that she was silently pouring her agony to the Lord. He assured her of the answered prayer and she believed and left with joy. God heard all her silent agonizing words before him which the priest of the Lord who watched her lips did not hear. The constant and yearly provocation of Peninah grieved her heart so much that in that heaviness and with groaning she could not utter out with words, she poured out her heart to the Lord and He heard and answered her. The next year, she had the son Samuel whom she brought to the house of the Lord and gave him to the Lord, fulfilling her vow.

The agony of Hannah is likened to that of Jabez. He was called Jabez meaning sorrow, trouble. His mother named him Jabez because he was born out of pain. Thank God for Jacob's wisdom in renaming his son Benjamin when his dying wife named him, Benonmy-child of pain. The name that is given to a child is very significant. So Jabez's life was pain. The Bible did not say much about him, but the prayers he prayed out of deep agony of heart meant that he suffered so much as a result of his name. His life was so much affected by pain that provoked such deep agonizing cries of pain unto God.

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh that, you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain" (1 Chron. 4: 10). And God granted his request.

The content of that few words of prayer is so much laden with heaviness of heart, pain, agony and like Hannah, with much faith. Hannah had to back hers up with vow. Jabez did not make vow but he deeply cried out to God to change his situation. Like Hannah, he was specific in his request. He asked God to bless him indeed. All his personal efforts have failed him. He was tired of being mocked and being reminded both by his situation, his name and people that his life was life that causes pain. He needed to be blessed in deed by God and let all these agonies and mockeries seize, and let people rather see the goodness and faithfulness of God upon his life.

He also requested that his territory be enlarged (divine promotion) and that the hand of God be rested upon him. He asked God to keep him from harm which might had besseted his life so much so that he would be free from pain. God answered him and changed his situation.

These two prayers were memorable. They were prayers made in faith through deep agonies of soul provoked by the situations of life. They were tired of being reminded of their fruitless situations and needed change and promotion. They recognized that their only hope and help was in the Lord. So they cried out to him with deep groaning from their heart which only God, the Father that sees in secret, saw and rewarded them openly. And because faith gives birth to greatness, their faiths placed them among heroes of faith and produced outstanding testimony that has been to all generations. Remember, they never fought their battles by themselves, but they turned it over to the Lord in deep agony of heart and He heard them. God of silent tears heard them, promoted them, blessed them greatly and placed them as examples of faith.

God is the God of your silent tears. People who reproach you daily, causing you so much pain and agony because of your situation do not understand what is happening behind the scene of your life. You could turn your pains, embarrassments and all your helpless conditions that have so much caused you deep sorrows over to the Lord. Maybe many men of God have laid hands on you, prayed and prophesied to you, maybe the Lord of your silent tears is still waiting for you to approach hHm with all those agonies and pour them on his feet and if the Holy Spirit provokes you to do so, make a vow to God as Hannah did. Like Hannah and Jabez, He will not only see, hear and answer, He will display you as sign and wonder before all those people who laughed at you and mocked you. HE IS GOD OF YOUR SIENT TEARS!!

* TAKEN FROM MY BOOK: GOD HEARS, GOD ANSWERS
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