by Jerry Senn
“Samuel said to the people, ‘Fear not; you have done all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart…or the Lord will not cast away his people…Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and instruct you in the good and right way’” (1 Samuel 12:20-23, RSV).
Samuel stands out in the Old Testament as one of the men who had great influence with God through prayer. God could not deny him anything he asked for. His praying always affected and moved God to do what would not have otherwise been done had he not prayed. Samuel stands out as a striking illustration of the possibilities of prayer. Prayer was not a strange exercise to Samuel.
Through him and his praying, God’s cause was brought out of its low, depressed condition in the life of Israel. A great revival began, of which David was one of its fruits.
“God, thank You that You use ordinary people, equip them, and guide them to do great things for Your glory. Amen.”
(Thoughts from E M Bounds, “Living a Life of Prayer).