Who I am

Amos 7: ¹⁴Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, "I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. ¹⁵ But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' ¹⁶ Now therefore hear the word of the LORD.

Titus 2:³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, ⁴and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

Amos wasn't born a prophet. He wasn't "trained" for it or aspired to it. He was a herdsman and he dressed sycamore figs. The ESV study bible says that only the very poor ate the sycamore figs. So here is Amos, an ordinary, poor man just going the way of his fathers before him and then the Lord calls him to prophesy about God's judgment, Israel's sin, and a call to repentance. Amos knew who he was and he knew what God called him to be. Although the difference between the two lifestyles were extremely different, Amos was obedient. In Titus 2, Paul tells of who women are to be in Christ. This is an image of who I am called to be. I am to be reverent in behavior and a teacher of what is good. Specifically, I am to love my husband and children, be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to my husband. I am not to slander nor be a drunk or alcoholic. In connection with my devotion yesterday, this is a good standard that I can adjust and realign myself to.

I am far from perfect. Like Amos, I wasn't raised to be in full time ministry, nor was I raised to be a stay at home mom. I was raised with just the opposite mindset. Ever since I could remember that I had a goal to work towards, I wanted to be an actress living in high success for myself and surrounded by luxuries and total convenience. I thought that I would attract "the man of my dreams" and just retire early and have some kids that naturally would love me and like me. Totally wack, now that I recall it. But still, isn't it what every little girl wants? To be a highly desired and catered to "princess"? Anywho, now that I am a woman, not a little girl anymore, I see that I am just dust. However, I am valuable, precious, and sought after "dust" because God so loved me that He gave His only Son so that I may have worth and life to its fullest. So, when I look at what my life should look like covered by God's grace, it is plainly written by Paul in Titus 2:3-5. So what can this dust do to bring glory to the only thing that gives her worth? I must "love my husband and children, be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to my husband. I am not to slander nor be a drunk or alcoholic." Is that too much to ask for...meaning, is God asking too much of me? Not at all. Has He given me everything I need to succeed in these areas of living? Truly, yes. I'm going to put these qualities on a checklist that I can look at everyday this week to train myself to check on how I am doing.

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me worth. Thank You for seeking after me and pouring out Your grace upon me. I love You. Please help me to be transformed into the woman You have called me to be. I want to cling to Your calling. I want to be obedient to You. Show me Your way and may I walk in it forever. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.