From Rags to Riches

When I survey my life as well as the lives of others who have been born again (saved from sinfulness), I cannot help but note the power of God at work in the lives of mankind. Though I am unable to comprehend the love of God that he should be concerned with me, I accept that he is and the changes in my life are proof positive. There is a great crowd, spread across the ages, who sing the same song of joy as I and offer testimony of God's faithfulness.

Today, I read the prayer of a mother (Hannah) whose song of praise is added to such a list of witnesses. Consider 1 Samuel 2:8

"He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; upon them he has set the world." (1 Samuel 2:8, NIV)

As I read the prayer of Hannah, I could not help but to reflect upon my own experiences and observations for they are quite similar. But verse 8 really stood out to me this morning.

I consider that the 'dust' and the 'ash heap' speak of the abject worthlessness of position. Both (dush and ash) are cast upon the ground to be walked upon and of themselves have no intrinsic value. To me this represents the sinful life in which I indulged for the greater part of my life, though becoming a distant past it is still substantial.

But the fact that God 'raises the poor' and 'lifts the needy' from this dreadful place speaks of God's absolute power over all; his omnipotence. In fact, Hannah's prayer speaks of God's ability to both humble the proud and to exalt the meek. This in fact describes what God did for Jesus and what Jesus did for us!

It pleases God to destroy every power which will be something in itself and to transform into power every weakness which despairs of itself. This is why God chose to take away every earthly stronghold that 'I' had built and to replace them with the 'hallowed halls' of His making.

He raised me, a poor sinner from the ash heap of a sinful and unproductive life and seated me among His righteous people that I may live a life of obedience and service. The princes and princesses I now sit among form a circle around me in Children's Sunday School. They occupy the seat next to me as we sit in rounds in Adult Sunday School. There they are in the 'pew' alongside me as we worship, praise and receive the Word of God in Sunday Service. They are in the bunk next to me at camp and in the beanbag across the room in Live Wire (children discipleship training). And they sit on the couch across the table from me in The Workshop (Accountability Group). Yes, God has surrounded me with His people and I count it as an honor to inherit the throne of Christianity. Truly, I serve the remarkable God.

And all this He does, He does easily by His Word. For everything in this world, the very foundations themselves are His alone. So this day, I pray the prayer of Hannah as my very own as one who has been lifted up from the depths of despair to be seated at the banquet table of Christian fellowship.

May God be glorified by my every breath.

In His 'Kung-Fu' Grip,
Carl