August 27

I Will Honor

"Those who honor me I will honor." 1 Samuel 2:30

 God makes a promise here to all who choose to give God the honor that is due him. It must become our purpose in life to glorify God in our earthly walks. All down through the ages, God has winked at the weaknesses and overlooked the failures of his servants who were seeking to honor him. The man who set his heart to exalt God above all was blessed. His intentions were accepted as fact. Take, for example, God's servant David. There have been many an eyebrow raised at the failures of David, yet the Word of God describes him as a man after God's own heart, Acts 13:22; 1 Samuel 13:14. David continued all through his life to honor God and, in return, God honored him. Holy intentions make the difference! The Pharisees didn't understand this. They exalted themselves instead of God. They pretended to serve God, but it was all about them and who saw them and how much honor man would give to them. They missed out on so much by their blindness. They lost what was most important; they lost out on God honoring them. Whether man honors us is of no importance when we know that God honors us. The Pharisees didn't understand that in order for God to increase, they had to decrease. God's desire is for all to know him and ultimately to gain that special relationship of sons. It is only when we act as sons and give our Father the honor that is due him, that he can act as our Father, filling our lives with his grace and mercy. God desires to have us in our entirety and he will not give up on us until he has gained our all. Full consecration, giving our all to God is what will truly make our Father smile upon us. It is only when we have given ourselves to him in this way that he can trust us with all his riches. His honor will be safe in our consecrated hands.

Father; be exalted over my entire life. May only you be glorified in my life. Help me to exalt you over my possessions, my family, my friendships, my comforts, my ambitions and even my reputation. May your name be on my lips and may I exalt you above all else. Rise, O Father, to the proper place in my life, that I might know the joy of true sonship! Amen