UNHURRY HACK: Distracted by the shiny lure of the world around us, it is easy to think we need something better than God’s best.
First read: Psalm 101 and 1 Samuel 12
Key verse: 1 Samuel 12:20
“Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him.
Gosh, we mean well. Yet, oh how we miss the mark. And sometimes, we just fall off the mark completely and go our own way. Distracted by the shiny lure of the world around us, it is easy to think we need something better than God’s best.
Praise the Lord, our big mistakes are not greater than our Big God!
God loves His children, and that includes you and me and every other follower of Christ today. One of many displays of His great love and mercy can be found in 1 Samuel 12. The Israelites want a human king to lead them, totally disregarding the fact that they already have the perfect King.
The people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us. Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles.” (1 Samuel 8:19-20)
Samuel (whom God had called as a prophet and judge) warns them, takes their request to God, and tells them:
“you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king reign over us’--even though the Lord your God is your king.” (1 Samuel 12:12)
...EVEN THOUGH THE LORD YOUR GOD IS YOUR KING
Don’t these words pierce your heart?
How many requests have you and I made that disregard God’s perfect provision?
How many times do we let the world dictate our needs?
How many times do I forget and trust in what I can only see?
God allows them to have a King. The Israelites may have only had selfish reasons, but God had a plan all along to rescue His people.
“At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel. He will save them from the Philistines because I have seen the affliction of my people, for their cry has come to me.” (1 Samuel 9:16)
Saul is anointed king, but in the face of trouble he acts foolishly and disobeys God (1 Samuel 13:13-14). This leads to God appointing David as the new ruler and king and also the family line through which Jesus would be born. God’s perfect plan always prevails. His mercies are unending.
Thanks be to God that even when we make mistakes or foolish decisions, it is not the end. Samuel counsels God’s people of this and we are wise to listen today:
Samuel replied, “Don’t be afraid. Even though you have committed all this evil, don’t turn away from following the Lord. Instead, worship the Lord with all your heart. Don’t turn away to follow worthless things that can’t profit or rescue you; they are worthless. The Lord will not abandon his people, because of his great name and because he has determined to make you his own people. (1 Samuel 12: 20-22)
Samuel then promises to pray for them and he admonishes all the people to fear the LORD, worship with all their heart, and consider all the things God has done already in their past. (1 Samuel 13:23-24)
Thankfully our big mistakes are not bigger than our Great God!
So the next time we find ourselves in the face of a foolish mistake:
DON’T turn away from following the Lord. Instead worship Him with ALL your heart. DO turn away from worthless things that can’t save us. God never leaves us! He loves you and me by His great name and by His covenant love! Read Psalm 101 and let it guide your prayer today for a renewed heart and focus to worship God with all of your heart. Verses 2-3 state:
I will live with a heart of integrity in my house. I will not let anything worthless guide me.
Join me in prayer today:
Open the eyes of my heart, Jesus YOU are the world’s perfect Lord and King!
Open the eyes of my heart, Jesus YOU are my perfect Lord and King!
Unhurry our hearts today, that we may worship you!
Amen
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