EXTREME PARENTING!

 

Sunday, March 15, 2026

 

EXTREME PARENTING!

 

1 Sam 1:27-28

27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

 

          Hannah knew that Samuel was both a gift and a stewardship. He was a gift because he was the answer to an agonized prayer of a barren mother. He was the elimination of her humiliation. He was a constant reminder of the faithfulness of a compassionate God.

 

          Did Samuel ever have the colic? Did he ever cry endlessly driving sleep from Hannah’s eyes? Did he ever weary her with childishness? No, I think Samuel was a normal little Jewish boy. Was this part of the “gift?” I think Hannah knew that it was.

 

          Hannah also knew that Samuel was a “stewardship.” He did not ultimately belong to her. He was given by God, and she returned him to God’s service. This is when parenting becomes extreme and difficult. The moment we realize that parenting is for the child and not for the parent, we become good parents indeed. Guidance, training, and correction are all part of parental love and responsibility.

 

          Hannah learned that whatever you give to God is kept safe. It is made better, stronger, and more useful. This was Hannah’s reward.

 

Dear Lord, bless and help our embattled parents today. AMEN

 

IS THAT REALLY ME?

 

Saturday, March 14, 2026

 

IS THAT REALLY ME?

 

Job 42:5-6

5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.

6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

 

          Job had been the object of interest both to God and to Satan. He had been a battlefield both pock-marked and wounded! He demands an audience with the Almighty so that he could present his innocence and God’s unfairness. Oh My! What he saw!

 

          He saw God as very God! The blinding light of God’s glory made his claim of innocence to be sin! The blistering truth made his claim falsehood. The divine purity made his claim of purity filthy.

 

          He saw himself as never before. Job knew he was beaten. There was no way he could argue his case with God. Then Job admitted that his words had been wrong and that he had spoken about things he didn't understand. All that was left to do was to repent – in dust and ashes.

 

          So, each of us must bow before a holy God – either here and now or at the judgment.

 

Rom 14:11-12

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

 

Awesome God!  Let me see you as you truly are so that I may see myself as I truly am. Thank you, Lord, because your mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. AMEN

 

ANOTHER COMFORTER!

 

Thursday, March 12, 2026

 

ANOTHER COMFORTER!

 

John 14:16-18

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

 

          How I miss my mother who could always kiss away the little boy hurts and make it all better. The science of a mother’s kiss is hard to reconcile with genuine medicine, but no one can refute its magic.

 

          The little boy hurts have grown up to become big boy hurts. The standard medicine is a stiff upper lip but internally I still long for someone to kiss it and make it all better. Jesus seemed to understand that early and made us a wonderful promise. “I will not leave you without a comforter!”

 

          The Sweet Holy Spirit has come to stay with me forever. Dr. Charles Stanley said: "I have learned that you can have a pain in your heart and a settled peace in your soul at the same time." So, give your pain to Jesus and He will give you his peace.

 

Thank you, Lord, for the peace that passes understanding. AMEN