Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk. – 1 Samuel 1:13

Today's Scripture Reading (March 20, 2022): 1 Samuel 1

There is an old joke about two men with differing theologies talking about the place of women in the church. For one, the position of women in the church was equal to that of a man. They were an invaluable part of the contemporary church. I have to admit that some of the best pastors I know are not men, and I can't imagine the church without them. Anyway, these two men were arguing, and the first man makes it clear that he believes that a woman is equal to a man and women in leadership are essential to the future of the church. The second man responds that he, too, believes that women are indispensable to the church. And to prove his point, he adds this comment. "In our church, every fifth Sunday of the month, we allow a woman to lead the congregation in silent prayer."

Maybe the saddest part of the joke is that I know some churches actually believe that the appropriate place for a female Christian leader is leading in silent prayer, and even then, only four times a year. It is not that silent prayer isn't good. I believe that God knows our hearts before we even find the words; that his Spirit helps us to pray. There are times, and circumstances in which praying out loud is what is needed. But praying out loud is more for us than it is so that God can hear us. Praying aloud helps us focus our prayers and keeps our minds from wandering. And if we want to be an encouragement to someone else, praying out loud helps the one we are praying for know how we are praying for them.

But there are times when silent prayer is also appropriate. It is not a sign of weakness or a lesser form of prayer. It is prayer, and it should be a big part of our life. The Apostle Paul instructed the Thessalonians to "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). And part of praying continuously is sometimes praying silently.

Hannah was distraught, and she had come to Temple to pray. And she prayed. As Eli, the priest, watched her, he noticed that her lips were moving but that there was no sound coming from her mouth. And he assumed that she must be drunk. But Hannah wasn't drunk, and just because Eli couldn't hear Hannah's prayer didn't mean that God didn't hear it. We know that God heard Hannah and that help was already on its way.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 2