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Written by Corina Díaz, volunteer with Ministerio Hermana Rosa de Hierro in Argentina
The book that bears the name Samuel is divided into two parts, 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel. Originally in the Hebrew Bible it was a single book, and its author is the same Samuel, although not in its entirety. A wonderful thing about this book is that it is harmonious in all its essence, starting with its name שְׁמוּאֵל (Šəmûʼēl), which means, “God has heard.” So, from this book come wonderful stories about the way God listens to His people and how He calls them to listen.
We have three main characters, Samuel, Saul, and David, all connected to each other. All three with similar purposes in the kingdom of God, and they demonstrate the different natures of man before God’s questioning. I love the way that God manifests Himself through three different responses to their requests: Yes, no, and wait.
Samuel, was the answer to Hannah’s prayer, a woman who was willing to heed God's call (1 Sam. 1:9-11). She conceived her son Samuel, whom she consecrated to the temple and to God’s service (1 Sam. 2:11). Samuel was a complete instrument of God's plan, and an example of someone who had to wait on many occasions.
Saul, was the first king, and although he was chosen according to God's designs, his personal purpose was different. He is the perfect example of someone who does not want to listen to God, also of someone to whom God says no (1 Sam. 13).
Finally, we have David, a man after God's heart, who heard his call and recognized God's mercy in his life; a sinful person like you and me, who opened his heart and to whom God constantly responded with a Yes! at his requests (1 Sam. 20).
So, we clearly see that there are only three possible answers to the requests of our heart (yes, no, wait), all we need is to have the ability to hear that answer. These three men listened to God in different ways, and we see the results of their own actions. But what do we need to do to listen to God?
Think for a moment, how can you listen or understand the point of what someone wants to tell you? The best way is by knowing the person. The more you share and connect with a person, you can almost predict his/her movements and looks. Has it happened to you? You are in a group and suddenly you cross eyes with your friend, your husband or your child and you already know what is about to happen. That is how our relationship with God also works, the more we know Him and the more we spend time with Him, the more we can listen and understand His responses to our requests.
God's desire for us is to stay connected with Him, and He has a wonderful promise for us.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” (John 8:31-32 MEV)
The more we know and listen to Him, the more we will know His will in our lives!
#IronRoseSister #HIStories #prayer #bookofSamuel #yesnowait #guestwriter
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Written by Vivian Arcila, volunteer with Ministerio Hermana Rosa de Hierro in Canada
“So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” (1 Sam. 1:20)
Before I became a Christian, I had two children. Six years after being baptized for the forgiveness of sins, I prayed to the Lord asking Him to give me a third child, if it was His will. In 2006, God responded to my prayers and I had a beautiful, healthy baby boy. However, at that time, I was 38 and when I was three months pregnant, I had facial paralysis and since I was pregnant, they couldn’t give me the treatment because it might affect the baby. The result was that I have still not recovered full mobility of the left side of my face. This saddened me because I liked to be happy and smile. Additionally, the world had recently entered into the digital stage where people were sharing pictures on social media, but my face would likely never look the same. The happiness from my motherhood was eclipsed by this unexpected change in my life. They were difficult months in which I had many mixed emotions: the joy of having a new baby in my arms and yet feeling that I no longer had beauty in my face. I was active in the church, especially in the area of evangelism, but with my new appearance, I didn’t feel sure of myself nor excited to share a conversation with someone.
Those dark months led me to seek the Lord’s presence, to seek Him in prayer, and to read His Word. It was also a season in which I could examine myself in the light of the Bible and repent for areas in my life in which I was not being obedient. My insecurities led me to disconnect from the world, but at the same time, I was getting to know God more. In His Word, we discover that at times, the answers to our prayers are Yes, as He answered Hannah, Samuel’s mother, and me with my pregnancy. But at other times, like He said to Paul, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (2 Cor. 12:9)
What a beautiful revelation! And so, I prayed again to the Creator and I said, “Lord, if you aren’t going to return the mobility in my face, please give me Your grace so that I can draw closer to others with a new smile in the Spirit that they will notice.” From that moment on, I began to be filled again with the immutable joy of the Lord, that is found in Christ’s sacrifice for our sins and that brings us hope of eternal life, which is not changed by any temporary or permanent situation happening in my life.
It is true that God, as a kind and merciful Father, responds to our requests through dreams or goals in this world, but these answers are not always in line with what we want. There are women who have prayed that they could be mothers, but they have not gotten pregnant; others for a husband, but have never married; others for healing from an illness that has not come about; and others for reconciliation in marriage or family relationships that have not been resolved. Therefore, we may ask ourselves, is His grace sufficient for us? Is the power of God being perfected through our weakness? Am I living joyfully in the Lord or am I frustrated because my personal goals are not being achieved? Is God’s plan for my life and others’ lives more important than my human aspirations?
So, is the source of my joy in motherhood or in marriage? In beauty or in a successful career? Maybe in not having any illness?
It's not that it's a sin to have aspirations in this life. The problem is when we live frustrated for not achieving them and lose the joy of our salvation, or when these earthly goals take the Sovereign Creator’s place in our heart.
According to the world’s standards, we will always lack something in order to feel complete: be taller, a beautiful face, a husband, a child, a grandchild, more or less weight, a university degree, a promotion, my own home or a bigger home, but the Word of God in Colossians 2:9-10 tells us where our fullness comes from: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”
What is most important to us? Personal success or to be transformed into the image of Christ?
#IronRoseSister #HIStories #Hannah #motherhood #truejoy #guestwriter