The verse today is PROVERBS 31:2 -- "O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows..." (or in other words, 'the answer to my prayers'.
Lemuel was a King, and these teachings that follow in Proverbs 31 are from his mother, whom we learned yesterday in verse 1, loved him enough to teach and train him up in the knowledge, wisdom and understanding of the Lord. Again, we wonder why these verses are important. We don't know much about King Lemuel other than this proverb. His name is not mentioned anywhere else in Scriptures, other than in verse 4 of Proverbs 31 where his story continues.
According to serveral 'name meaning' sites, and other sites that have given messages on King Lemuel's life, the name Lemuel means "Devoted to God"; "To God"; "Towards God". The boy's name 'Lemuel' is pronounced LEM-yoo-el. It is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is "belonging to God". Some have made reference to Lemuel being a poetic version of King Solomon, whereas others have believed him to be King Lemuel of Arabia (a descendant of Ishmael). Others just believe his name to be a poetic reference to a 'man/King of God', that leads into our lesson on the 'Virtuous woman'. Neither of which may be real people in the earthly sense, yet with God, became so much more. No matter what story you choose to believe, we are not to take anything from, nor add anything to the Word of God.
So just looking at Lemuel, as a man, and a King (as it is written), that has obviously been devoted to God, by his mother, we see that she cared enough about him, to dedicate his life to the Father, and to go on and teach and train him in the ways of the Lord. In the Bible, there are many women who have cried out to the Lord for children. In most cases, God does the miraculous, and gives them more than they had even asked for. Sarah became a mother when she was 99 years old; Hannah cried out to the Lord for a child, and Samuel was born, and he was dedicated and devoted to the Lord and His work, and he became a GREAT man of God; Bathsheba & David were promised a miracle... and received Solomon, who became a GREAT King and Man of God. (which is another reasoning why people believe 'Lemuel' to be Solomon, and the wise mother to be Bathsheba.) Lemuel, was himself an 'answer to prayer', and being his mother was not something that his mom was not taking lightly.
We as parents, or spiritual parents (those in leadership/teaching positions over nieces, nephews, cousins, and other children in their circle of influence) have to be devoted to God ourselves, yet we also want to be in prayer for children. Especially in today's society, where the world throws many obstacles in our children's ways of serving Him to the fullest. Sometimes, we get carried away in church, in the presence of God, and the Spirit moves, and His power and presence is so strong that we immediately kick our children out to Junior Church or Children's Church. God has a plan for the children! It is in His Word many times that 'CHILDREN ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD'. He also says, "... and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6) If we want to truly dedicate our children to the Lord, to the working of the Lord, then they need to be a part of our church as a whole. We cannot continue sending them away when the Spirit begins to move. The Lord wants to and needs to use them as well. They are important parts in the body mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12. Their eyes, ears, hands, feet, etc are needed to function properly as well. Did we ever think that is one of the reasons we are not seeing true revival? Not just our own 'adult problems' - our self-absorbed ideas to why revival is not happening... but maybe we have to let go and let God have His way with our 'kids'?! As a teacher, and a trainer/equipper it's hard to teach the Word and different topics of the Christian walk when our kids don't get to 'experience it' for themselves. It's fine to have the 'head knowledge', but I want the children in my sphere of influence, to move that to 'heart knowledge' too. The only way they can move it from their head to their heart, is to experience God in His fullness and power. Now understandibly some things may be too much for a child to understand, yet God does not give us more than we can handle. Some children desire and long to be used by the church, therefore being used by God. Some desire to go deeper with Him, and see their parents worship and God move in their home and family, yet are held back themselves because they 'are too little'.
I was wondering where this verse would lead me, and I figured it wouldn't be a long message today, as it was just on a saying from his mother that he was an answer to prayer... yet that is also a prayer that is in the hearts of many women in the world today. Somehow, there are mothers and fathers who have children, who hurt them, abuse them, neglect them and treat them poorly. This breaks my heart, because God has given us this life to take care of, train and nurture. A child is given 'life' at conception, not at 'birth'. This life is also to be used to worship the Creator. With love and nurturing, this child can & will grow to become one of the GREAT men &/or women of God like was spoken of in the Bible. Sometimes, I know that children can be little 'monsters', and it's hard to think of them as the 'precious gifts of God' that they are, but that is something we ALL need to do. Lemuel's mother decided long before Lemuel was born that her children would be set apart for God. She had learned these lessons that follow in verses 3-31 in her life, (maybe even from her own mother or father) and treasured them in her heart to one day teach her own children. It's hard to be a parent or a teacher and train children (your own or in your sphere of influence), when you have to live it out and learn it in your own life first. Your desire no longer is for your own spirituality and needs, you are now responsible for the lives, hearts & souls of others in your care. These lives are also a "good" or "property" that God has entrusted each of us with... (Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-30 -- Verse 14 says, "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them." NIV)
(* Editor's Note: If we have been entrusted with the lives of these children (and others in our lives), what are we doing with that gift? Entrusted is a word that needs digging into deeper... and I will do so in a devotional here. -- Not completed yet, so no link.)
A mother or father has a responsibility beyond all else to "train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it". (Proverbs 22:6) We as the church also have the responsibility to come alongside them and assist them in this task, which is what the body is for.
May you find out what YOUR PIECE of the puzzle is... where you fit in the BODY of Christ... cause we ALL fit somewhere... and may you be able to flow and be used in that area. Where your strengths are, I may be weak in. Where I am strong, you may be weaker. We all NEED each other! We have all been given different gifts and talents, and entrusted with different things, yet we all have the same Spirit and same Lord. "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men." 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!
No comments:
Post a Comment