1 Samuel 2:30
Those who honour Me I will honour,
but those who despise Me will be disdained.
There are no qualifications or conditions to the unknown prophet’s statement from 1 Samuel 2, “those who honour Me I WILL HONOUR”.
Eli, the priest at Shiloh, received a message from the Lord regarding his sons. He and his whole family would be judged because of their sin before God at the place where Israel worshipped. But at the heart of the prophet’s word is this promise from the Lord, a promise that God Himself will honour those who honour Him.
It’s noteworthy that Hannah’s husband Elkanah, despite all the wickedness that was going on at Shiloh, returned year by year with his family to worship there. He was faithful to God, honouring of God and God chose his family to receive the son who would lead all Israel.
In the movie Chariots of Fire, the famous Scottish runner Eric Liddell refused to run in one of the heats of the 100 metres, his best event, in the 1924 Olympic Games. The movie highlights that the heat was to be held on the Sabbath and Eric, coming from a missionary family wouldn’t compete. He eventually ran in the 400 metre event after a fellow team member stepped aside to allow him to run.
Before the race began, someone gave Eric Liddell a note with this scripture written on it, “those who honour Me I will honour”. He went on to take the gold medal in a race where he was not expected to feature and set a new world record. It was a very touching moment in the movie when he won his victory.
Eric Liddell returned to China as a missionary in 1925, the year after his Olympic victory and served there, with two furloughs, until 1943 when he died in a Japanese internment camp. The movie concludes with a note of his death and the simple epitaph, “all Scotland mourned”.
You may not seem to have much honour in your life at present, but God’s Word cannot be broken, honour God today and He will honour you!
Be blessed today as you seek to honour the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.