FAITH CAPSULE: Honoring God is not in quoting the word but living and behaving the word of God.

Genesis 39, Daniel 6

After all that Eli could do for his children’s violation of God’s command was only warning, the Lord sent His servant to Eli, stating, “…for those who honor Me I will honor…” (1 Samuel 2:30) God is a faithful and His word cannot be broken. God confirmed the validity of His word when He spoke, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) Knowing that honoring God will no doubt bring honor to you, is there any conscious and uncommon step that you are taking to honor God? Through the pages of scripture, some men took deliberate steps to honor God and God honored them beyond their imagination. Joseph, a young man that was sold to slavery by brothers of the same birth had no reason not to honor God when God’s name deserved to be honored. Joseph had a good reason to despise God but he honored God. Joseph was in position to become the master of the house whenever his master was absent from home because the wife of his master’s persistent attempt to lie with him. The Bible recorded, “But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, 12 that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.” (Genesis 39:11-12) The reason why Joseph reacted the way he did was because of His honor for his God. Joseph sated, “…how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9) Honoring God is not in quoting the word but living and behaving the word of God. God does not move by just the words of our mouth but by the actions behind His word in our mouth. Remember, the Bible described God, “…For the LORD is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.” (1 Samuel 2:3) Our actions and reactions is what measure us before God. Daniel knew the gravity of denying other gods to honor his God when he went to his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. (Daniel 6:10) Both Joseph and Daniel honored God and were greatly honored by God. Joseph went from prison to presiding over the whole land while Daniel had dinner and spent all night with hungry lions with out a single scratch. How are you honoring God? Honor God and He will honor you.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be a vessel of honor.