Corona Devo 1332

I was praying for specifics today.  For my kids, for myself, for our Nation, for future generations.  For me and for you, for strangers and loved ones too.

What will they become?  What will become of us?  What's next for each of us?  How will we serve You, where and how, Lord?  Do you have specifics for us, Father?  (I'd like them.)

I was praying for details, and callings.  For direction and protection...and specifics.

That's what we'd like: the details of life--Who?  What?  Where?  How?

But God's answer (in Scripture) to us today is less-specific about job title, college/career choice, and parenting method...and more concentrated about who we will honor and serve with our days and lives. 

Ourselves or our Lord?  

We have examples of both kinds of leaders that have gone before us in life and in Scripture.  We are right now (today) living in service to God, or in service to us.

We pray for specifics and we ask God questions...

Sometimes He answers with specifics, and sometimes He answers with questions.

~~~

Are we a "Shebna", self-focused and working for our own grandeur?  Or are we an "Eliakim", being shaped and formed (and utilized!) by the Lord's will and ways?

Their titles did not matter, but their hearts did.  Our titles don't matter either.  Nor do our degrees, method-of-schooling, extent of degrees (or lack thereof).  The state of our heart in reference to our Lord is the determining factor in our today and tomorrow.  

Are we a "Shebna", self-focused and working for our own grandeur?  

This is what the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, said to me: “Confront Shebna, the palace administrator, and give him this message:  

(16) “Who do you think you are, and what are you doing here, building a beautiful tomb for yourself—a monument high up in the rock?  (17) For the Lord is about to hurl you away, mighty man.  He is going to grab you, (18) crumple you into a ball, and toss you away into a distant, barren land.  There you will die, and your glorious chariots will be broken and useless.  You are a disgrace to your master! 

(19) “Yes, I will drive you out of office,” says the Lord. “I will pull you down from your high position.  ~Isaiah 22:15-19

~~~

...Or are we an "Eliakim", being shaped and formed (and utilized!) by the Lord's will and ways?

(19) “Yes, I will drive you out of office,” says the Lord. “I will pull you down from your high position. 

(20) And then I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah to replace you. (21) I will dress him in your royal robes and will give him your title and your authority. And he will be a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah.

(22) I will give him the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royal court. When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them; when he closes doors, no one will be able to open them. 

(23) He will bring honor to his family name, for I will drive him firmly in place like a nail in the wall. (24) They will give him great responsibility, and he will bring honor to even the lowliest members of his family.”  ~Isaiah 22:15-24

~~~

I'm not sure who Shebna was, but we don't need specifics to know that we don't want to be like him.  

If we are busy worshiping ourselves and "building a beautiful tomb for ourselves—a monument high up in the rock", we had better take heed of how upsetting that was to God.  

I'm also not sure who Eliakim son of Hilkiah was, but we don't need specifics to know that we want to be like him. God called him, "my servant", which meant that Eliakim served God, and not himself.

The Lord had blessing and favor and work for Eliakim to do, and while the specifics were not included in these verses, Eliakim's concentration on God was.

~~~

Specifically, I'm praying for traits and faith like Eliakim today: for my kids, for myself, for our Nation, for future generations.  For me and for you, for strangers and loved ones too.

Drive us firmly in place like a nail in the wall today, Lord.


Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com 

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