The Lord and I had some sweet time together. I flipped open to 1 Samuel to prepare for meeting with one of my girls tomorrow and he reminded me of all the things I love about this book.
1 Samuel is my favorite book of the bible. I don't really know if you are allowed to have favorites...but I do. I love that it opens with Hannah crying out for favor from the Lord for a child. At one point she is praying so hard that the priest, Eli, thinks she is drunk. She tells the Lord; "O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look in the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant...then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life..." the Lord hears her and answers with a child named Samuel. Hannah then takes the child to Eli and leaves him there to serve the Lord all the days of his life. Can you imagine the trust and faith this woman had to have? To ache and long and pray and cry for a baby- then get one- then just a quickly stay true to her word and give him back to the church?!
1 Samuel is my favorite book of the bible. I don't really know if you are allowed to have favorites...but I do. I love that it opens with Hannah crying out for favor from the Lord for a child. At one point she is praying so hard that the priest, Eli, thinks she is drunk. She tells the Lord; "O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look in the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant...then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life..." the Lord hears her and answers with a child named Samuel. Hannah then takes the child to Eli and leaves him there to serve the Lord all the days of his life. Can you imagine the trust and faith this woman had to have? To ache and long and pray and cry for a baby- then get one- then just a quickly stay true to her word and give him back to the church?!
I put myself in her shoes this morning, I have in the past too but today it was just so real. She pleaded for this child and when the time came she could have said "thanks Lord, I hope you didn't think i meant I would literally give him away, I more meant I'll raise him to be a good church kid- thanks again" but she didn't she was quick to give him back, in turn the Lord gave her 3 more sons and 2 daughters and Samuel became a prophet to the nation of Israel.
The Lord seemed to gently talk to me and ask me if I am making big empty promises to him? How many times have I said "Lord if you would just do this for me, then I will definitely do this for you" My heart isn't like Hannah's. I'm not coming to him acknowledging that he is the giver of all things, he is sovereign. I'm asking him for selfish things, things that are basically saying what you've given me isn't good enough, you're not good enough, I need this to feel better. Im asking the Lord to provide me with things to cheat on him with. I'm treating him like a vending machine.
The Lord used this book last year when I was deciding where to work and what to do with my life.
I 'm thankful His word is living and active and today as it was last year.
I 'm thankful His word is living and active and today as it was last year.
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