Title:- Ichabod
1 Samuel 2:30 for those who honour Me I will honour, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
Who could forget the scene in that great film “Chariots of Fire” where the main character, Eric Liddell, preparing to run in the Olympic final, which by the way, was a race he had not trained for, just before he gets on his mark, is handed a piece of paper with the text above written upon it. Marvellous! You see, having forfeited the opportunity to race the 100 metres because it was on a Sunday, Liddell faced down an earthly king, and the howling press all baying for his blood, indeed, he shouldered pressure from all quarters to compete in the 100 meters final, and despite the weight upon him he did not cave in, but instead said "No", and put God first. Now, according to the note, God would honour him for his stand. Of course, like all great stories in history, Liddell went on to win the 400-metre final!
Eric Liddell was undoubtedly an honoured and true champion in every sense of the word, but whether he was given the piece of paper with that text, is highly unlikely. Never the less, the truth and fulfillment of those words, stands as certain and as immovable as the Mount of the Most High God.However, I do need to tell you friends that the Biblical context of this verse is couched in horror rather than in glory. You see, Eli, the then High priest, had not put God first with respect to his two sons Hophni and Phinehas. No, this dirty duo had consistently coerced from the congregation the best and largest portions of food and by religious bullying, had made themselves rich, licentious and odious. Eli in turn had compounded their sin in allowing them to continue to abuse their office and the people they were serving and in so doing, had caused Israel to hate the worship and offering commanded by God. Eli had honoured his sons before God and God was not well pleased. In return for this ‘lightly esteeming’ of the Lord, God then ‘lightly esteemed’ Eli and cut short His original promise of honour and blessing to Eli’s family line. God was going to kill his sons you see, and in the future, all of his male descendents would die in the prime of their life; their offspring, consuming their parent’s eyes and grieving their hearts, whilst they languished in poverty, begging to serve as priests just for the smallest portions of food. Truly, God’s glorious blessing had departed from the family line of Eli. Why? “for those who honour Me I will honour, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.”
Tell me, how are you maybe lightly esteeming the Lord today? Shape up and sort it out. This is serious stuff.
Listen:- Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? Hebrews 2:1-4
Pray:- Living God, help me to put You and Your kingdom and You and Your honour, first in my life. Indeed, help me to put You and Your glory even before ‘the very desire of my eyes’. Amen.
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