Day 29: All God's Children Are Useful.
Read: 1 Samuel 1
What kind of dishes do you keep in your cupboards? For me and my house
we have the standard stuff we got from places like Walmart. Now, what
kind of dishes do you keep hidden away, perhaps even have locked away?
Most of us have some special dishes and silverware that we use only for
special occasions. These are those china plates, sterling silver, and
crystal glasses we use only when we have company. We use our everyday
plates, and jelly glasses at other times. Some of us will even find some
great uses for paper plates, paper bowls and lots and lots of plastic
silverware. Does that necessarily mean that any or either of these or all of these are not usable?
The vastness of the wisdom of God is reflected in the vessels He
chooses to use and when He chooses to use them. Hannah had been barren
all her life, a condition that was heart wrenching to say the least and
also an issue of great social shame. So, with a greatly burdened heart
and troubled life she went to God. Her plea was one of desperation but
it was also one of faith. She wanted a child, needed the fulfillment
that only a fertile womb can provide. So as she prayed she pledged to
surrender her child to God if He would grant her petition. Would God
ever grant such a petition?
We might think: How much use could this barren woman possibly be? She is mocked, she is outcast. In the eyes of the village she is cursed. However, I ask you to carefully consider what Hannah held in her heart? Did she believe she was
useless? Consider how much faith, how much conviction, just how much
belief she had in herself to rise above all the adversity she
experienced. I believe that God took full notice of her usefulness
because after He took full measure of her devotion He touched her womb
and she conceived a child. For us the greatest image of all our
usefulness to God is Hannah walking into the Temple with her baby boy
and dedicating him to God's use.
As I examined the story of
Hannah one verse jumped out and grabbed my attention. It is verse 11. "O
LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and
remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will
give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will
ever be used on his head." In verse 22 Hannah says that this child
would "appear before the Lord" – as in the form of a servant, and
"remain there forever." Her gift to God would be a gift that God would
fully use to serve His purpose and His will to lead God's people Israel.
She gave her only son to bring great service and success to God, and to
glorify His name.
Let Us Pray: In a land that sees no use for
me or mine, I know you have a purpose for me that is uniquely useful to
the building up of your kingdom. Thank You My Lord for raising me and my
life up to Your throne of grace. In Your Son's holy name I now take
this moment to dedicate my all that my life was and now is and will
become to Your service. I give my heart to honor You who saw all that
was useful about me.
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Read: 1 Samuel 1
What kind of dishes do you keep in your cupboards? For me and my house we have the standard stuff we got from places like Walmart. Now, what kind of dishes do you keep hidden away, perhaps even have locked away? Most of us have some special dishes and silverware that we use only for special occasions. These are those china plates, sterling silver, and crystal glasses we use only when we have company. We use our everyday plates, and jelly glasses at other times. Some of us will even find some great uses for paper plates, paper bowls and lots and lots of plastic silverware. Does that necessarily mean that any or either of these or all of these are not usable?
The vastness of the wisdom of God is reflected in the vessels He chooses to use and when He chooses to use them. Hannah had been barren all her life, a condition that was heart wrenching to say the least and also an issue of great social shame. So, with a greatly burdened heart and troubled life she went to God. Her plea was one of desperation but it was also one of faith. She wanted a child, needed the fulfillment that only a fertile womb can provide. So as she prayed she pledged to surrender her child to God if He would grant her petition. Would God ever grant such a petition?
We might think: How much use could this barren woman possibly be? She is mocked, she is outcast. In the eyes of the village she is cursed. However, I ask you to carefully consider what Hannah held in her heart? Did she believe she was useless? Consider how much faith, how much conviction, just how much belief she had in herself to rise above all the adversity she experienced. I believe that God took full notice of her usefulness because after He took full measure of her devotion He touched her womb and she conceived a child. For us the greatest image of all our usefulness to God is Hannah walking into the Temple with her baby boy and dedicating him to God's use.
As I examined the story of Hannah one verse jumped out and grabbed my attention. It is verse 11. "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head." In verse 22 Hannah says that this child would "appear before the Lord" – as in the form of a servant, and "remain there forever." Her gift to God would be a gift that God would fully use to serve His purpose and His will to lead God's people Israel. She gave her only son to bring great service and success to God, and to glorify His name.
Let Us Pray: In a land that sees no use for me or mine, I know you have a purpose for me that is uniquely useful to the building up of your kingdom. Thank You My Lord for raising me and my life up to Your throne of grace. In Your Son's holy name I now take this moment to dedicate my all that my life was and now is and will become to Your service. I give my heart to honor You who saw all that was useful about me.
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