Monday, 29th May 2023
Andrews Ampomah
TOPIC: IMPLICIT OBEDIENCE OR CONVENIENCE?
THEME SCRIPTURE: “Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering,” – 1 Samuel 13:11-12
PREPARATORY QUESTIONS:
- Why is obedience important?
- What made King Saul force himself to do what he was not supposed to do?
At every stage of human existence, one encounters a myriad of choices. Convenience and comfort are two important factors that influence these choices. Ensuring that our decisions, deeds, and inactions glorify God is the ultimate goal of decision-making for Christians. "What is the chief end of man?" The answer lies in "glorifying God and enjoying Him forever." Our main focus in living as Christians should be to glorify God in everything we do, including eating and drinking (1 Cor 10:31).
Consequently, God becomes the focal point in the decisions and choices we make.
War broke out between Israel and the Philistines following Saul's two-year reign as king. Israel's faith required them to seek divine guidance through sacrifices and offerings to God before engaging in any battle. The prophet Samuel gave specific instructions to King Saul regarding how to get ready for the battle with the Philistines. Samuel directed Saul to wait seven days for his arrival to perform the Lord's sacrifice before the battle. During the waiting time, some of the Israelites abandoned camp and hid “…in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns (1 Samuel 13:6).” King Saul became impatient as a result. How can he lose military men and do nothing? On the seventh day, Prophet Samuel had not arrived. Saul's men were deserting him. King Saul took on the priests' responsibility and sacrificed when he couldn't wait for Samuel anymore.
Instead of implicitly obeying God, King Saul chose convenience and disobeyed Him. He allowed what he was seeing to overwhelm his faith to follow God's plan and instructions.
Beloved in Christ Jesus, the world throws many convenient and comforting things at us to influence our actions and inactions. Convenience versus God's word is always a choice we’re faced with in our workplaces, marriages, and churches. However, obedience to God's word is what Christianity is about, not comfort. The word of God is supposed to shine through our every action and choice. We cannot, for any moment, sideline our beliefs, allowing compromises in our decisions and actions.
Beloved in Christ Jesus, implicitly obey God's word even in your most difficult times.
Don’t compromise on your Christian ideals. Will you focus and center all your choices, actions, and inactions on God today? Instead of choosing convenience like Saul, resolve to implicitly obey God's word to the latter? Remember that your chief end is to glorify God in your life, at the workplace, in your marriage, and in raising your children.
FURTHER READING – 1 Samuel 13:1-14
Call to Salvation: Today is your day if you have not received salvation by turning over your life to Jesus Christ. Click here to do so
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD:
- How are you going to ensure that every decision you are going to make henceforth is God-centered?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to know your work and to obey it fully no matter what the outcome may be. I affirm my commitment to choose you in all I do in Christ Jesus. Amen.
1-Year Bible Reading Plan
Joshua 15; Isaiah 20; Isaiah 21; Philemon 1
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