Tonight I ditched church. Yes, I know I am a sinner just like everyone else but not because I ditched college group. I was just feeling really convicted about the fact I have been spending more time serving then just with God at His feet. So, I pulled up to one of my local haunts...(they are pretty much all coffee shops-aka gift from God) and realized I had only my Bible and school stuff with me. I really enjoy my Nutrition class and so put a little more value in that notepad. However, chemistry is another story completely. So, out came the yellow notepad which I was more then delighted to use for the purpose of a Bible study.
I just had one of those really sweet nights in the word though I would like to spend more time in prayer tonight just growing my relationship and dependence on God. But, I wanted to share some of what I studied as I was really, really encouraged by it. Let me take you through my thought processing first though I won't give it to you in complete detail. I love David...big time He (other then Christ) is the Biblical character I am completely in love with. I love reading through the Psalms and through books in the Bible talking about him and how he responds and talks with God. I love David's passion, compassion, brokenness, realness, love for animals, how he loves God so much, his music for God, how he dances before the Lord and just so much else. I can not wait to meet Him someday. Plus, the Bible tells us that he was a man after God's own heart. That is beautiful!
Now, whenever I am at a loss and it has been awhile I like to retrace David's life through the Bible beginning with I Samuel and often reading through Psalms at the same time. So, there I was in the less crispy though still pretty untattered section of my Bible. In the first chapter we meet Hannah, one of the two wives of Elkanah. She was his favorite but the Lord had not blessed her with any children. His other wife Peninnah of course used this against Hannah and so every year when they would go to Shiloh to worship and offer sacrifices to God Hannah would cry out to Him.
I Samuel 1:12-13
And it happened as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli (a priest) watched her mouth. Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved but her voice was not heard.
At this Eli accused Hannah of being drunk but listen to her response.
I Samuel 1:15
But Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken.
I love this picture first of pouring out our hearts before God. THis heard and compassion I so desire but in more of a diligent, faithful, with believing manner. I just love this example I guess. God, grants this but Hannah also makes a vow with Him saying that she will give her son to the Lord all the days of his life if He will allow her one. God does not always answer our prayers how we want them though He did answer hers. But, we must remember nothing is to take the place of Him and sometimes He does not give us what we want because it would. Sometimes He gives it to us anyways but then something good steals what belongs to God and we forget to give it to God and put it in His hand and care.
If you are still tracking I am almost finished. Eli has responded and when Hannah left her face was no longer sad which brought up anther good reminder. This is that when we are spending time with Him, and just the way we live our face should light up and we should be filled with joy. So, I will leave you not with my interpretation of all of these verses, but with the verses themselves and hopefully some of them will encourage you as they did me.
I Samuel 1:18
And she said (Hannah to Eli), "Let your maidservant find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. (after Eli said may God grant it).
Shouldn't we glow, and be full of joy? Especially after spending time with God. It made me think of how we should be in the world and how we can't spend time with God and have in not effect us.
Mat 5:14-16
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill can not be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
II Cor 4:6
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of the darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Eph 1:13-14
But when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Ps. 4:18
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, whcih shines brighter and brighter until full day.
And last but not least I have to leave you with something really cool a guy in my lifegroup shared about a year ago. He handed each one of us a small glow in the dark star and told us to stick it wherever we would see it. I put mine in my wallet and the analogy is that if you leave the star in the dark it wont ever glow in the light but the more you expose it to the light the brighter it will shine in the dark. I loved that and still have it stuck to the inside.
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