"For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord."... (1 Samuel 1:27-28 ESV)
When you look around your house, at your kids, at your bank statement, what is it that you think? Do you say to yourself "look at what I have done"? Or do you take a moment to thank God for what you have? The interesting thing is that it seems the more we have, the more likely that we will do the former.
When my family went to Mexico a couple of years ago, we stayed in a resort near Cancun. It was beautiful, lots of amenities, plenty of food and drink, all you could want. We had decided before we went that we would rent a van and drive out to some of the ancient ruins. We had talked to some friends that pointed us to a small authentic Mexican town where we could experience the real Mexico, not just the tourist areas. That was really neat, but what we did and saw next was very special.
My wife had read about another area of ruins, a pyramid that had not been restored. It was a little ways off, through some of the poorest areas I have ever seen. When we got to the entrance, it had just closed. But that was okay, for as we made our way back, we drove through those same towns. Only this time we slowed down and noticed how happy the children were as they played with their friends. The moms were out talking, similar (or maybe not depending on your neighborhood) to what you would see here in the states.
You see, these people had not been told that they were poor, and I believe in their minds they saw themselves as rich in blessings. This is a lesson for us all. God gives us everything we have, but the most important thing does not come from a store or cannot be bought with money. It is His love that he asks us to share with others.
Will you do your part, as Hannah did when she "lent " her son to the Lord?
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