2014.11.25_Eli’s Sign
William Akehurst, HSWC
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Ephesians 5:1-2 1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
This is a real life experience that is an illustration of GOD’s love for us.
A good friend of mine was concerned about some decisions he had to make. Privately, he asked the LORD for a sign.
His 3 year old son was playing out in the yard and came to his father with 2 pieces of mulch and declared, “It’s broke”. But when this little guy put those two pieces together to form a cross, he brought them to the attention of his father and professed these words, “Look daddy, a sign.”
While big sister corrected her little brother, “No that’s a cross”, Lil’ Eli stayed adamantly firm in his belief, “No, it’s a sign.”
Looking on, my friend got his answer. Look to the cross, look to the LORD, put your trust in HIM, and HE will take care of you.
As Christians, we pray and when we are uncertain, we look for a signs. I must caution you that the LORD doesn’t always go to this extreme to show us HIS will. Sometimes HE wants us to simply put our trust in HIM and take that leap of faith. In this case however, HE used a 3 year old child to increase the faith of this family, and I must admit that it increased my faith as well.
Your "sign" brought these WORDs to me. Ponder the thought of each of them.
Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
Eli, in his innocence reveals the FATHER's WORD to his own earthly daddy.
Look daddy, "a sign", as he holds 2 pieces of mulch together in the form of a cross.
What a revelation that is…the LORD speaking directly to you, Dan, through the mouth of your son and the work of his little hands. Look Daddy…a Sign…the cross, where you must put your faith and trust.
And even though his sister tried to sway him otherwise, Eli stayed with the sign. That’s a form of praise don’t you think. That he would call the very cross, where Christ paid it all, to be the sign you were seeking? That amazes me. GOD amazes me. How else would it be though? We expect it, yet we are still amazed.
Look at what this verse says.
Psalm 8:2
Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
The enemy is defeated, and the silent praise of Eli has established a stronghold against those things that you believe had come against you.
When you told me of this almost immediate answer to prayer, I was reminded of this scripture. Out of the mouth of babes…
Matthew 21:16
"And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?"
“Perfected praise”. While his sister tried to correct him, Eli profoundly kept his stance, this is a sign.
Jesus said that unless we change and come to HIM as children, we will not enter the heavenly kingdom.
Matthew 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
We all are HIS children. But there is something more to understand about that. A child fully relies on its parents for everything. I think that is what Jesus means by those words.
We are all hit at one time or another with indecisiveness, and questions, even to the point of depression and despair. And what is despair? It’s the total loss or lack of hope.
Yet as a Christian, I have a living hope, who is Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
I’m also reminded what David writes in Psalms when he is hit with despair and depression.
David reminds himself to trust in GOD. We too must remind ourselves when we are at a loss, that we must put our trust in the LORD. Fully relying on HIM, and he will lift our spirit, the ‘health of our countenance’.
Psalms 42:11
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me?
hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him,
who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
David puts his full focus, trust, dependence upon the LORD.
Fixing his eyes, his heart, his everything on the LORD. Giving HIM praise despite any situation that arises that would pull him down. Keep your eyes fixed, focused, scoped in, on the LORD.
This whole Psalms is a good read and thought for meditation.
Psalms 57:7
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed:
I will sing and give praise.
I’m reminded of what the book of James says when we are facing struggles and need answers.
James 1:2-5 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
GOD’S WORD speaks Dan. And I’m thankful for you sharing Eli’s testimony. Even though he doesn’t even know what he did.
The LORD is telling you to trust HIM fully. And HE will direct your path.
Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
I think one of my favorite verses has to be what I’ve dubbed as the Joshua Principle. This one principle is how I believe we are to run our lives and business. Like I told you, it caused me to pick up the study of the ancient Hebrew pictographic language, and I’ve taught an introduction to the ancient Hebrew language in several venues.
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
