Day 292 Pride and Hannah

Nebin Surprised her Mom and Tiffany
Mary is holding Maeve - Tiffany's little girl

Day 292

October 27, 2015

To gain my strength is not my goal. Humility is.

Humility is understanding what God does, 

what God did, what God is doing, 

and what God will do.

In 1Samuel Chapters 1 and 2, Hannah was not able to get pregnant. The LORD had closed her womb. And she knew it was He who closed her womb. 

She knew who she had to pray to, even though her emotions might not have looked “faith like.” She persevered even though she was made fun of and provoked.

 Mary and Nebin

Though she was in despair, downcast, miserable, and deeply troubled – she prayed. She did not clean up for the prayer, she just kept praying. She prayed out of great anguish and grief. And she just kept praying. Even when the priest thought she was drunk, she just kept praying. For she knew who had the strength, who had the power to change her status – only the LORD!

Sometimes I paraphrase to "see" scripture. Here is my  paraphrase of 1 Samuel 1 and 2:

My heart rejoices in the Lord. not in me.

In the Lord my horn is lifted high. not in my accomplishments.

I delight in your deliverance. not in how I delivered myself.

There is only ONE holy.

There is no one besides HIM.

There is no Rock like our GOD.

Do not keep talking so proudly.

Why? The LORD knows.

He weighs your deeds.

Bows of warriors are broken.

But the stumblers are armed with strength.

This is upside down from the way the world views things.

They once were full but now out of food and in need.

Once hungry but now hungry no more. Their need was filled.

Once no children, and made fun of, but now she has seven. Her need was filled.

She who had many sons and lots of pride, now she pines away. She did not give credit where credit was due.

LORD brings death. not you.

The LORD makes alive, not you.

He brings down to the grave or raises up. not you.

LORD sends poverty. not you.

LORD sends wealth. Who knew – not you.

LORD humbles you. not you.

LORD exalts you. not you.

LORD raises poor from the dust. not you.

LORD lifts the needy from the ash heap. not you.

LORD seats them with princes. not you.

LORD has them inherit the throne of honor. not you.

Guess what?!

The foundations of the earth have nothing to do with you!

They are the LORD’s.

He has set the world on His Foundations. not yours.

Who will guard the feet of His saints? You? No.

The LORD will guard the feet of His saints.

But the wicked will be silenced.

Where?

in darkness. 

No one can see. 

Pride loves audience but will end up in darkness. Lights out.

It is not by strength that one prevails.

Wait, what??? Not by strength???

This affects a lot of people. Me, in particular.

Not by strength will I prevail. Not by strength will I prevail.

( This is a cheer I need to get down with. )

Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered.

(If I think it is by my strength, am I opposing the LORD?)

He will thunder against them from heaven – my opposing can be seen – even from heaven.

The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. He sees, the LORD knows, He weighs my deeds. My audience is the LORD. 

He will give strength to His King

and exalt the horn of His anointed – Masiyah (one of the most important words in the OT)

His anointed is Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

Luke 1: 69 – “He has raised up a horn of salvation for us

in the house of his servant David.”

Jesus is lifted up. I am not.

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