This Week's Focal Passage:
“For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.” 1 Samuel 1:27-28
I love our focal passage because it expresses a heart totally surrendered to the Lord God. As our Ladies’ Sunday school class is studying through the book of 1 Samuel, I find myself challenged every week. Hannah desired a child and she took that desire to the doorpost of the tabernacle (the entrance of worship) and cried out to the Lord. God heard her pleas and HE granted her a child according to His perfect will. Hannah loved Samuel and she was so thankful to bear a child of her own, yet she loved the Lord God more than she loved anything, including her own child. She committed Samuel to the Lord and brought him back to the doorpost of the tabernacle when he was weaned and lent (completely gave him), to the Lord. How could Hannah do such a difficult thing? Her surrender was a form of worship from the heart of a very grateful mother. Surrendering Samuel was an act of worship and Hannah rejoiced in worshiping the Lord God (1 Samuel 2:1-11).
In the previous devotion, I shared how God has been teaching me about Biblical submission and transforming me into the wife, mother, and woman HE created me to be. Over the past two months, the Lord has faithfully continued His work and I can honestly say that I am enjoying the process!! And believe me, I am a work in progress!! God has provided a wonderful, godly mentor to walk alongside me during this season of my walk and she is sharing valuable truths from God’s Word. I am learning that God’s transformation includes transforming EVERY area of my life, not just those areas I think need to be changed. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
The core question my mentor asked me was: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE LIKE CHRIST? If so, then I would have to live according to His commands in all areas of my life. Even those areas that are not fun or easy to surrender. God designs the roles for each gender as well as the functions within those roles. We cannot honor, glorify, or worship the Lord outside of the ways in which HE Himself has established. This is true regardless if we are male or female, married or single, work inside/outside the home, young or old, rich or poor. God Himself has designed that we all glorify Him and HE has ordained the way in which each of us are to do that.
Galatians 2:20 says “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Crucified #4957 (sustauroo) means “the death of Christ on the cross has wrought the extinction of our former corruption, by the death of Christ upon the cross I have become utterly estranged (dead to) my former habit of feeling and action.” Romans 6:6 says “Knowing that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died, has been freed from sin.”
How does this apply to our daily lives? This means that we do not have to give into our sinful desires. We do not have to live according to the world’s culture. We are free in Christ to live in such a way that our every thought, every word, every action, and every heart’s motive is an act of worship!!! Isn’t that exciting?!!?! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christ has empowered us with the Holy Spirit and we can live a life that produces the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We can fulfill whatever role the Lord calls us to in a way that brings honor and glory to Him and allows us to stand before Him and hear, “Well done, My good and faithful Servant.” Don’t you want that??!!
My Friend, I encourage you ask yourself the same question: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE LIKE CHRIST? Only you can answer that question, but before you do, remember that Christ said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."( Mark 10:45) Christ did not serve in the areas that made Him feel good, brought Him praise, or made Him look good. Christ served by washing the feet of the disciples, proclaiming truth to people who hated and rejected Him, and HE gave His entire body for our benefit. If you want to be fully content, satisfied and useful to the Lord God, then you MUST put aside self and begin loving and serving in a way that elevates others above yourself. May our lives be an act of worship to our King!
