Please read the whole chapter and feel free to post a reply even before you read my thoughts. If you don't have a Bible with you, you can follow this link to the passage: 1 Samuel 7
It's pretty easy to pick on the Israelites because I don't have altars to other gods in my house. Or do I? A god is whatever you put your trust in. What have I placed my trust in besides God? My talents? My bank account? It would be easy to compile a long list. Like the Israelites I am in need of daily repentance and forgiveness. But God isn't just demanding an absence of other things. He is asking us to trust in Him. This means recognizing where our help comes from.
Notice the Israelites give up their idols, but not their weapons. God gives us our talents and every good gift. This is what we ask for when we pray for "daily bread". And this prayer recognizes the source of all good gifts. The Israelites are told to fight, but they know that their victory does not come from them. This is a difficult thing for us to remember, but it is comforting especially when the other "gods" fail us.
If there is a lesson to be learned from Samuel and Eli's sons, it is... a person's actions reflect their character. This is also true of me. Keeping my heart pure before God is what I strive for (my record is pretty good for failing miserably at this).
ReplyDelete