THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
To further elaborate, I wish to reflect on the words spoken by her to the priest and his attendant after the initial prayer, which reveal the gentle and humble nature of this devoted wife. It is written, "And it came to pass, that when she multiplied praying before the Lord, Elias the priest kept her mouth." This passage highlights two key virtues of this woman: steadfastness in prayer and vigilance of spirit; the former is represented by the term “multiply,” and the latter by the phrase “before the Lord.” While we all engage in prayer, not everyone does so in the presence of God.
Read more (389 words)
Can one truly claim they pray before God if, during their supplication, their body is prostrate and their lips are uttering words absentmindedly, while their soul is wandering elsewhere—at home, in the marketplace? True prayer occurs when one's soul is utterly focused, detached from earthly concerns, elevating oneself to heavenly realms, as this woman did. She dedicated her mind entirely, pouring out her grief-filled spirit to God.
But how is it that the text describes her as having “multiplied” her prayer, given that her words were few? She did not expand her prayer with lengthy phrases but spoke simply: “Adonai Lord Eloi Savaoth, if you see the humility of your servant, and remember me, forget not your servant, and grant your servant a male child, I will present him before you as a gift for his whole life; no wine or strong drink will he consume, nor shall a razor touch his head” (1 Kings 1:11). Are there many words in this prayer? What is meant by “multiply”? It indicates that she repeatedly brought the same request before God, persevering in her brief petition. Christ, too, instructed His followers to pray in this manner. He advised His disciples against imitating the Gentiles with their empty phrases (Matthew 6:7) and provided a model for prayer, emphasizing that being heard by God hinges not on verbosity but on the attentiveness of the spirit.
Some might question, if brevity is essential, how does the parable of the widow demonstrate the need for persistent prayer? She was relentless in her appeals to an unjust judge devoid of reverence or shame (Luke 18:3-5). Paul further encourages this, stating, “rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer” (Rom. 12:12) and urging to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). At first glance, uttering few words seems to contradict the notion of continuous prayer, but they are not in conflict; rather, they complement each other. Both Christ and Paul advocate for short, frequent prayers offered with regular intervals. Prolonged utterances, often without concentration, grant the enemy greater access to sow distractions that can pull our thoughts away from our words. However, through constant and frequent prayers, dedicating our time to concise appeals, one can maintain focus and pray with heightened awareness. This woman exemplified this, offering few words repeatedly and persistently humbling herself before God.