A long time a go there was a woman named Hannah.  She worked hard at being a good wife and home builder.  She did her share chores and loved her husband.  But there was a problem.  She couldn’t bear children.  In the Israelite culture ,1100 s BC, it was a travesty if a woman couldn’t have kids especially male children.  The line would die out and so in that culture a family was counted blessed if you had sons.  Almost, as if God favored you more.

She also had to live with the thought that she shared her husband with another wife that, could have children!?  Talk about adding insult to injury.  The fact is, in the scriptures, it said that her hubby loved her more that the other.  Um, maybe he shouldn’t have married the other woman?  Ok I digress but that’s a topic for another day.   Guys don’t get any ideas…

Well she travels with old faithful, ahem, to the temple for one of the Jewish feasts (probably the feasts of Tabernacle) and listen to her prayers while there.

“O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”                                                                   1 Samuel 1:11 ESV

Would you believe it if I told you she goes home and gets pregnant?  So I imagine that the little promise pops up in her head and now she’s probably thinking, “How am I going to get out of this?”

Well, we couldn’t be more wrong…

After she weens him off of her milk she takes him to the temple.  Back then that was like three years.  No it’s not gross they didn’t have stores with pasteurized milk or formula in cans.  She drops him off at the temple and tells the high priest his name is Samuel which means possibly “offspring of God”  and leaves him.  Whoa!

I wonder how many of us parents are willing to give up a child, even to God himself? Unfortunately, if we say we can’t, then that shows how much we truly hold to the thought of God is sovereign and owns everything anyway.

Really, raising kids to the glory of God has nothing about your desires to love them it has to do with the ability to sacrifice your need for confirmation from them.  Let me put it this way.  Sometimes we need our kids more that they need us.  We use them for emotional stability. I know that I’ve done this.  If you are honest I think you’d say you’ve probably done the same thing.

Would you be willing to give God your child if it was a promise to Him no matter the emotional pain?  The answer will tell you a lot about yourself, your belief in God and your emotional stability.  Try and answer…

Writing this post tonight because Baylee, Heather and I have a volunteer opportunity tomorrow.  Yes it is good to help out the community but were getting a free Disney ticket out of it. Woohoo!

Here’s what I spent time thinking on this week.

• Upsetting to see a ton of teacher losing their jobs this week.  It’s like we took a 5 year backward step.  Usually things like this you expect to get it back but I don’t know this time.   I don’t like talking politics on the blog but I am not talking people but talking situations.  The state takes care of the education and so because of some recent legislation on a Federal level (health care) it is going to be even harder to have some extra money for education (because of taxes).  It’s the trickle down effect, you do the math.  Just to be clear the federal government has been making decisions effecting everyone and not taking into consideration of implications down the road for the states.  Wondering when the states will start sticking up more for their people.
• Had a chance to meet with a lot of people last week which is what I love to do.  I love to hear about what is going on in the lives of others and see how God is moving.  I actually saw a couple of times where God, being divinely strategic, had set up people’s heart before I ever talked with them.  I am going to do my best to break away from the office more and more.  Watch out, because next year I am going to do my best and try to make at least half my time hanging out with our folks.  If you think God is calling you to do something at our church or you need some direction consultation then let’s get together.
• Noticing that my kids are growing up way too fast.  I took the time this week to contemplate how each one is unique.  I need to revisit what is my vision for each child.  I have actually started praying for them specifically based on what God is showing me as a need in their life.
• Talking about prayer, I started writing down my prayers again a while back.  I actually preached on prayer about two months a go so ‘how’ one would pray has been on my mind.  One of the things that you see in the Lord’s prayer is the fact that we are to pray for others just as we are to pray for ourselves.  One of the things that I noticed about my prayer journal is that for the first time in my life it is filled with prayers for others and not me.  I aint pattin myself on the back but it is nice not to be so wrapped up in myself.  Want to know a secret?  The more you are concerned for others the less you are concerned for yourself.  I think this is why the Apostle Paul talked about and found some contentment in his work.

Alright I really need to get to bed for our work day tomorrow.  I am hoping that you found some time to rest and reflect this week.

Blessings!

Using the System for Effective Prayers from Jody May on Vimeo.

This video is a little something extra to go along with the sermon below. We can have more effective prayers when we decide to be in biblical community.

Jesus – How To Have An Effective Prayer Life from Oak Leaf Church on Vimeo.

This was a sermon from the Jesus Series on Luke 11. We explored why our prayers aren’t effective – because we think it is all about us…