Worthless to Worthy: Redeeming Your Family | 1 Samuel 2:12

Are you ready to compensate for lost time as a husband, wife, father, or mother?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are in 1 Samuel 2. Chapter 2 contrasts two families—one who stands with God and one in defiance. Today, I will read two texts that illustrate this contrast again.

Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation. — 1 Samuel 1:16

Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord. — 1 Samuel 2:12

Worthless Sons
The word "worthless" here is harsh and vivid. It's Belial, which could be translated as Hannah being the "daughter of the Devil" or, in the case of Eli's boys, "sons of the Devil."

The irony in the text is unmistakable. Eli indicts Hannah as worthless when his sons are the worthless ones.

Eli is a man, father, and leader with extremely clouded judgment. He easily indicts an innocent, humble, and devout woman and misses the judgment passed onto him by his sons, who serve as spiritual leaders but "do not know the Lord."

Too Late To Build Worth
In my years of ministry, I have noticed that many believing men, like Eli, do not learn the burden of their roles as husbands, fathers, and spiritual leaders soon enough. They love the title and experiences of these roles but fail to see their spiritual significance. Therefore, later in life, they have regrets about the spiritual disposition of their wives, children, and even themselves. Some men believe it's too late to rectify the lost time and the ministry required to have a spiritual impact on their lives.

But it's never too late. God can redeem anything and anyone at any point in life, and there are plenty of examples throughout the Bible.

Had Eli stepped in and even stepped up a little, which he didn't, he could have turned his sons from worthless to worthy.

See The Worthy One
For this to happen in your life and your family, you have to stop dwelling on the past, lost time, and all your regrets. You need to stop focusing on yourself and focus on God's worth. God has endless worth, infinitely more than all your worthless years and every worthless regret.

So, if you are a father, mother, husband, or wife, don't give up yet. Don't quit. Look again at Elkanah and Hannah. They never quit believing, obeying, trusting, and offering, even through their deep vexations. Then God provided and turned their sense of worthlessness into great worth.

#RedeemingLostTime
#FamilyRestoration
#GodsRedemption

Ask This:
Reflecting on Eli's missed opportunities as a father and leader, what steps can you take today to prioritize your spiritual influence within your family?
Considering Hannah and Elkanah's faith transformation amidst challenges, how can you cultivate a mindset of unwavering trust in God's ability to redeem and renew your family's story?
Do This:
See God's worth and spiritually lead!

Pray This:
Lord, help me release the weight of past regrets and embrace Your redeeming grace. Empower me to lead my family with wisdom, humility, and unwavering faith. Grant me the strength and perseverance to journey forward, trusting in Your ability to restore and renew all things according to Your perfect plan. Amen.

Play This:
Family.