God’s Property

From Shiloh, Hannah quietly returned to her home at Ramah, leaving the child Samuel to be trained for service in the house of God, under the instruction of the high priest. From the earliest dawn of intellect she had taught her son to love and reverence God and to regard himself as the Lord’s. By every familiar object surrounding him she had sought to lead his thoughts up to the Creator. When separated from her child, the faithful mother’s solicitude did not cease. Every day he was the subject of her prayers. Every year she made, with her own hands, a robe of service for him; and as she went up with her husband to worship at Shiloh, she gave the child this reminder of her love. Every fiber of the little garment had been woven with a prayer that he might be pure, noble, and true. She did not ask for her son worldly greatness, but she earnestly pleaded that he might attain that greatness which Heaven values—that he might honor God and bless his fellow men.

What a reward was Hannah’s! and what an encouragement to faithfulness is her example! There are opportunities of inestimable worth, interests infinitely precious, committed to every mother. The humble round of duties which women have come to regard as a wearisome task should be looked upon as a grand and noble work. It is the mother’s privilege to bless the world by her influence, and in doing this she will bring joy to her own heart. She may make straight paths for the feet of her children, through sunshine and shadow, to the glorious heights above. But it is only when she seeks, in her own life, to follow the teachings of Christ that the mother can hope to form the character of her children after the divine pattern. The world teems with corrupting influences. Fashion and custom exert a strong power over the young. If the mother fails in her duty to instruct, guide, and restrain, her children will naturally accept the evil, and turn from the good. Let every mother go often to her Saviour with the prayer, “Teach us, how shall we order the child, and what shall we do unto him?” Let her heed the instruction which God has given in His word, and wisdom will be given her as she shall have need.
Conflict and Courage p. 138
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for R who needs to stand for what he knows is right. Pray also for B to get a good job. L
—–Please pray for friends who have a court date tomorrow. Pray that God will take control for the good of all involved. Also, please pray for Carol and family as they grieve over her mother’s death. Rose
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Dear Friends,

Eight or nine years ago, Esther Marie wrote a song entitled “Two Hearts” for a friend of hers who was getting married. When she got married in 2005, she sang it at her own wedding.

Two hearts, one moment,
Now are joined in one.
Two paths are joining
On the road of life.

God has brought us,
Through our separate ways,
To unite our lives with Him in love.

Two prayers, one answer,
To the longing of our hearts.
Two songs, one melody,
Sung in praise to God.

God has brought us
To each other
To work for Him and to save souls.

One heart, one prayer to God
He has worked His will in us.
One path, one melody,
Joined today for eternity.

We are one now……….
We are one now.

Although written for a wedding, it has special meaning for our life as well, ?for thy Maker is thine husband, the LORD of hosts is his name.? Isa 54:5 How well this song illustrates the relationship our Dear Saviour wants to have with us. He longs to unite us with Himself even more perfectly than a man and woman are united in holy matrimony. He desires us to become so much a part of Himself that we are changed into His image. ?I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.? Isa 61:10

Paul uses the illustration of a perfect marriage in Ephesians 5:21-30 to explain the loving care our Heavenly Husband shows us. ?Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it, That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.?

With yearning for our love and devotion, our Loving Redeemer pleads, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matt 11:28,29 What a perfect illustration of the Christian walk. When a farmer wished to teach a young ox to plow, he did not just hook him up to the plow and whip him into line. No. He put the young ox in a double yoke with an experienced ox. For a time, the young ox would struggle and kick, but gradually, his older yoke-mate would get him settled down. As the two were yoked together, the older ox taught the young one all that he needed to know. This should be our experience. As we take Christ’s yoke upon us, we are uniting with Him, learning from Him, walking where He leads.

Our Great Creator yearns not only to be perfectly united with us, but He longs to have His children united in the truth. Indeed, our Great Redeemer has provided all that we need to come into that unity. He directs us to, ?with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbear with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.? Eph 4:2, 3 Paul’s plea to the Philippians to ?be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” is important for unity in the church Phil 2:2-4

Yet, we must be very careful that we do not let the truth slip for the sake of unity. How often we are tempted to compromise on points of doctrine that all may be united. This is false unity. It will lead down the wrong path. The only true unity is the unity where all stand on the firm foundation of the truth. “Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.” Eph 2:20, 21

May we allow Him to unite us into all truth, being of “one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Phil 1:27 May we daily take His yoke upon us and cooperate with Him in all He wants to do. May our heart be united with His Great Heart of Love is my prayer.

Rose