Bertrand Learns

You know, we are called to abundant life, and indeed God has came to bring it abundantly!

One thing I have been learning: Abundance tarries at times.

Think of Hannah in 1 Samuel.

For years she was barren, without a child. Childless and being provoked by Penninah, she was desperatea and bitter, and began to lose her sense of worth and sense of competence.

Finally, she prayed that if God gave her a child, she promised God she would give the child back to God for His purposes! She prayed to teh point that Eli though she was drunk. Think about this: Year after year, she went to the temple to ask God for a child. She coud have well prayed this prayer before many times. But what was the difference now?

Answer: We know the God tests the heart. This time, Hannah's heart was different. After several years of barreness, her heart had changed such that when God saw her heart and attitude, it was a done deal. Her motives for asking for a child was now pure. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

No longer was she asking for the wrong motives. She was no longer asking for a child because of the bitterness she felt over provocation by Penninah. No longer was she asking for a child to satisfy her self-worth.

Hannah was asking for a child for the sake of dedicating this child to God, so that she might contribute to the building of His Kingdom, His Glory.

Thing is, Hannah might had prayed that before years ago. But this time, its not just the words that God heard, but God saw her pure heart. Hannah finally realised (not just in knowledge, but in her heart) that she had to dedicate her child back to God, for His glory.

Wow. Lessons we can learn here:
1) Abundance tarries sometimes, because God wants to purify our heart. Jesus came to bring abundant life and He will fulfil His promise, for He is faithful. Yet God will cleanse and purify our motives. We can only guess what our heart is like, for our hearts are deceptive. God sees the true heart. It takes a time of barreness for the dross of our heart, which we are blinded to, to be revealed.

2) We should not judge another if we are uncomfortable with the way they worship, pray, etc. (i.e. they appear 'drunk' to you) You do not know what they had went through!

3) Our sense of worth, sense of belonging, sense of purpose and sense of competence has got to firmly set in God alone, not in abundance or blessings, not in others, not in material goods.

WAHH! Finally I update

Woohoo.
You know, I guess everyone is looking for something deep down in the core of our beings.

Bodaciously Branded.
Bertrand.