Where Have You Stopped Asking?

 

Now if I say the word desert – what images come to mind?  I’m guessing – images of dry sand-dunes -- prickly cactus – and an ambiance – overall – of aridness and barrenness.  But what about an ambiance of abundance and new life; can that break forth in the desert as well?  

Recently that’s exactly what’s happened in Chile’s Atacama Desert.   Considered one of the driest places on earth, the Atacama Desert receives little or no rainfall, making it virtually impossible for any vegetation to grow.  But last fall a remarkable thing happened:  unexpectedly, an El Nino weather system appeared out of nowhere, drenching the Atacama Desert with some of the heaviest rainfall ever.  

The result:  vegetation began to grow; to be specific hundreds of acres of vibrant flower blooms began to grow -- suddenly popping up, all over, the once arid and barren landscape.  For underneath that landscape was not more barrenness – but a whole bevy of flower seeds – dormant flower seeds – just lying there for years.  And so as the El Nino came, as the heavy rains came – the flower seeds burst forth – blossoming – giving birth – radiating beauty – in a once barren place.

Barrenness is often referenced in scripture, especially in relation to women who were barren -- literally barren -- without the prospect of bearing children. One prominent biblical, barren, women was Hannah.  Entering into her story in 1 Samuel 1, one picks up quickly a sense of aridness, of hopelessness. I mean as Hannah prays to the Lord in 1 Samuel 1:10 Hannah prays with “deep anguish…weeping bitterly…”  (1 Samuel 1:10).  And for good reason:  in Hebrew culture a barren woman was considered a shamed woman – for a barren woman was not able to produce children -- a sure sign of the blessing of God.   

But Hannah keeps praying passionately from the heart (1 Samuel 1:13) – relentlessly – in animated, demonstrative fashion.  In fact Hannah is so demonstrative that Eli the priest who was sitting nearby “…thought she was drunk and said to [Hannah]…Put away your wine.”  “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied.  ‘I am a woman who is deeply troubled.  I have not been drinking… I was pouring out my soul to the Lord…I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”  

The result:  hopelessness turns to hope – dormant seeds burst forth – and Hannah  blossoms – giving birth – specifically “…to a son, [and Hannah] named him Samuel…(meaning asked of God – for indeed, Hannah didn’t give up on hope; Hannah didn’t stop asking)…the Lord for [new birth and new life]...”  (1 Samuel 1:20).

Where have you stopped asking -- where have you stopped seeking new life?  Frankly we all go through seasons of hopelessness, when we don’t seek new life, when barrenness appears forever.

Now for some its literal barrenness – as infertility continues with much anguish.  For others it’s unemployment – as job inquiry after inquiry is ignored and devalued.  For others its relational challenge – as efforts to reconcile – appear unappreciated and fruitless.  

But wherever we're hopeless – Hannah ‘gets in our face’ and challenges us to be more passionate about about our devotion, our prayer -- than our despair.  But not just any prayer, but ‘poured out prayer’ – animated prayer – that’s so heart-felt (1 Samuel 1:13) -- so demonstrative – persons do believe we are drunk, intoxicated.  

But not intoxicated with wine, but intoxicated with the Holy Spirit, just like the day of Pentecost when those first believers were so filled with God, they too were thought to be intoxicated (Acts 2:13) because of the hope ‘pouring out’ of their hearts.   

As we continue into the New Year, may hope ‘pour out’ of our hearts, in spite of barren places; may we not stop asking the Lord -- for birth and bounty to occur.   

For underneath our barren places -- just like the Atacama Desert -- are dormant  seeds, given by God -- just waiting to bloom -- and break forth!