A Small Devotional - 1 Samuel 2:7

“The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.”

-1 Samuel 2:7

Do we not see this to be true? Do not the fortunes of the sons of Israel rest in the hands of the Lord? For it was the Lord who brought them from the land of slavery in Egypt. And it was also the Lord who caused a generation to wander and perish in the wilderness. It was the Lord who made the way for the people to conquer the land that had been promised, and it was the Lord who sent his people away from the land in exile. Indeed, even Hannah who uttered this prayer was brought low by the Lord, as she was caused to be barren. And yet the Lord too exalted her by giving her Samuel as a son. Oh how the fortunes of all peoples rests upon our sovereign Father. Do you have little? Rejoice, for the Lord offers you riches in himself that so far surpass any worldly wealth. Do you have much? Rejoice, for the Lord has given you the opportunity to create a picture of His generosity towards you, and in so doing show the world the surpassing value of His love towards you. The Lord is not surprised by your worldly circumstances, but indeed has caused them to come to pass.

 And just so, the gospel of Christ likewise brings low and exalts. Dear brothers and sisters, do you not recognize that your previous condition was far more grave than you have yet imagined? For you were not drowning in your sin but dead in it! You were not bowed under the burden of your guilt, but were utterly crushed by it! You were not merely distant from God, but exiled and at war with Him! What use do you have of pride? So difficult was your salvation that the Son of God would die in order to accomplish it. No matter station, wealth, or status in this life, all are equally brought low in light of the gospel of Christ. And yet, brothers and sisters, for those of us in Christ the gospel does not leave us low. For the same admission of the necessity of the cross also shows the value that God has placed on those He calls his own. For Jesus has bought us to be his own, heirs according to the promise! O Christian, the greatest of joys, that Jesus would save you for the praise of his glorious grace. That God would choose to use such lowly creatures such as us to display His gracious character. Do you not recognize that your current condition is far more exalted than you have yet imagined? And so we walk with confidence, for we know that though we were far worse off than we could comprehend, God has exalted us so much more! That through every situation, whether poor or rich, low in this life or exalted in this life, in Christ we have access to greater riches and a higher exaltation.