Scripture:
1 Samuel 1
Thu, 25 August 2022

Serve with a Heart of Faithfulness

Observation:

In what ways was Hannah faithful to God in her journey of seeking joy and fulfilment in life?

Deeper Reflection
SOMETIMES WE FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SERVE THE LORD with a heart of faithfulness. When we experience disappointments, setbacks or failures in life, we may feel disappointed with God for not answering our prayers. We may end up serving God half-heartedly, or even stop serving Him altogether. When God closed Hannah’s womb and she could not bear a child even after years of trying, her rival regularly taunted her with cutting words (vv.5-7). In her sadness, Hannah wept and refused to eat (vv.7-8). Yet she did not stop worshipping and serving God. Year after year, she faithfully made the journey with her husband Elkanah from Ephraim to Shiloh to sacrifice to the Lord. Hannah brought her burdens before God in prayer with deep distress and bitter tears (v.10). She poured out her soul before the Lord – a testament to her faith in and dependence on God despite her troubled spirit, great anxiety and vexation (vv.15, 16). We too can bring our burdens and anxieties before God in prayer expressed with genuine emotions. The Lord understands how we feel and He has promised to sustain us and lift us up, because He cares for us.33After the Lord granted Hannah’s request and gave her a son (vv.19-20), Hannah honoured her commitments to God and promptly fulfilled her vow to give her young child Samuel to the Lord for a lifetime of priestly service (vv.21-28). Let us learn to keep faith with God even through the trials of life. Let us faithfully serve the Lord as we trust in Him to answer our prayers in His perfect ways and timing.
33 Psalm 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7.
Application:

How can I serve God with a heart of faithfulness despite disappointments, setbacks or failures in life?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for Outreach/Missions/New Life leaders: To serve God with a heart of faithfulness, bringing their burdens before God and honouring their commitments to God
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 5:7-17
Wed, 31 May 2023

Answering God’s Call in Vocation

Observation:

What significant observations can you make about Daniel?

Deeper Reflection
Daniel did not choose to serve Babylonian kings in Babylon. It was circumstances – a national crisis of his country – that compelled Daniel to be where he was and doing what he was doing. Daniel did not have the privilege, opportunity or freedom to pursue a career of his own desire. However, it was out of these adverse circumstances, that Daniel discovered God’s call for him: To serve God through serving Babylonian kings. And God gave him the specific competency to fulfil God’s call (Dan 1:17). After Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar about his dream and the interpretation, he was “promoted” to be “ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon” (Dan 2:48).When Belshazzar gathered his wise men to interpret for him the inscription on the wall, Daniel was not among them. Daniel was not unknown to Belshazzar.59 He knew him as “one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah” and “appointed him chief ” over all the wise men of Babylon (vv.11-12). It was only when the queen mentioned Daniel to him, that Belshazzar called for him (vv.10-11). Belshazzar “deliberately ignored Daniel”60 . Daniel was sidelined. How do you respond to being sidelined? For Daniel, he felt secure. Daniel was secure because he had no ambition to climb the corporate ladder. He had no interest in rewards and promotion. Daniel said to Belshazzar, “Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else” (vv.16-17). But Daniel interpreted the inscription for Belshazzar. Daniel was answering God’s call for him.
59 Ernest C. Lucas, 131 60 Ernest C. Lucas, 131
Application:

What positive attitudes do I need to cultivate in my workplace?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for leaders
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for the Generations: To view their vocation as answering God’s call for their lives
  • Pray for self
 

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