Who Was She?, Pt 1 - No. 72

1 Kings 18:12, “But I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth.”

Who was the mother of this young man? Who were these godly parents who raised a son to walk in righteousness in the midst of an evil society. Obadiah lived and worked in the courts of the palace of Ahab and Jezebel – a wicked king and an even more wicked queen. Israel was no longer a God-fearing society at this time. Instead they worshipped Baal and golden calves. But in the midst of this godless, Baal-worshipping society these parents raised a God-fearing young man.

How did they do it?

1. They raised him to fear the Lord.

Obadiah feared the Lord from his youth. This is why we know he had a God-fearing mother, a mother who had a vision to raise godly sons in the midst of godlessness. I know, dear mother, that you often look at the evils in our society today and wonder how you can raise godly children. Be encouraged. You can do it. God is behind you and backing you all the way.  Keep this vision before you. This is His purpose for your children. You do not raise them to be kept forever behind closed doors but to go out as lights into this dark world.

Obadiah not only feared the Lord from his youth, but 1 Kings 18:3 tells us that “Obadiah feared the Lord greatly.” This was the testimony over his life. He didn’t have this testimony in church. He had this testimony in the midst of wickedness and idolatry.

I have to confess that I have never been able to get up and give an ‘exciting’ story about how I came to Jesus Christ. All I can testify is that I have known and walked with Him all my life. It only takes one minute to give this testimony, but I know it is the greatest testimony I can give. Let us pray, as we build godly generations, that this will be the confession of all our children and grandchildren.

Timothy had this testimony. From a child he was taught the Holy Scriptures from his God-fearing mother, even though his father may not have been a believer. Paul, the apostle, acknowledges that Timothy’s strong and genuine faith, which he walked in as an adult, was because of the input of his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois. (2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:15)

Samuel had this testimony. When Samuel was addressing the children of Israel, he said, “I am old and gray-headed… and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.”

The aged man in Psalm 71:5,17 had this testimony. He confesses, “For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth… O God, you have taught me from my youth and to this day I declare your wondrous works.”

How do we fear the Lord?

If we fear the Lord, we will love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.

If we fear the Lord, we will love His Word.

If we fear the Lord, we will obey His Word.

If we fear the Lord, we will obey God rather than man.

If we fear the Lord we will love to pray.

How do we teach our children to do this? We teach them in the spirit of life, not in legality. It is not so much what we say and teach but what they see in our lives that will steer them in the right direction. We must pray and seek God that our children will come to know and experience God and His reality for themselves. We must pray that they will know God in such a way that they will be able to go out into the world and walk in the midst of evil and yet not be lured by it.

We will continue this devotion next week…

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

 

PRAYER:

“Oh God, I wait upon you for your wisdom and your anointing. Please anoint me to raise children who will fear you all their lives, children who will never walk away from you for even one day. Oh Father, I pray that you will pour out your spirit upon my children and reveal yourself to them. Cause them to know your salvation. Cause them to experience your power in their lives. Cause them to know the reality of your powerful presence in their lives. Thank you Lord, Amen.”

AFFIRMATION: