“The people all said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.” 20 “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22 For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. 23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.25 Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish.” 1 Samuel 12.19-25
Have you ever been at a point in life when you realized you were heading in the wrong direction? Perhaps it was a decision you made, and then it finally dawned on you that you had taken a misstep.
The Israelites found themselves in such a dilemma. They had sinned against the Lord by rejecting God as their king and placing their trust in humanity instead. I call this realization the “oops” factor. It reminds me of the Britney Spears song, Oops!… I Did It Again. The error of their ways was catching up with them, and they essentially admitted to Samuel, “We have made a mistake.”
But God shows grace—and, oh, how we need it! Samuel says, “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.” This verse is the key to our happiness with God. Do not do evil; serve Him with your whole heart. The key to being in a right relationship with God is really that simple: turn from sin and turn to God.
However, Samuel warned the Israelites, “If you continue to turn away, both you and your king will perish.” This reminds me of what Paul said in Romans: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I don’t know about you, but I choose life. Yes, sometimes I choose sin and death—the weakened flesh draws me to sin like a haunch of blood-soaked meat draws a great white shark. But this is a grave mistake! Run from the temptations of sin that so easily entangle us. Run to the Father, find hope in God, and discover life and freedom in Christ.
When I was a boy, my mother gave me boundaries. She would tell me, “Don’t leave the yard,” when I was playing outside, or, “Don’t leave the neighborhood,” when I was older and riding my bike with friends. She set these boundaries for a reason: I might get lost, be taken, or find myself in trouble. Similarly, God gives us boundaries for our well-being: “Fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully.” This is the key to abundant life.
Today, as you and I both battle against sin and seek to live for God, know that His Spirit is willing and able to save you. He will rescue, reward, and redeem you. He will pull you from the pit and bring you into His glorious light. Live in that light. Allow the light of Christ to shine on you and transform your “oops” into “aha!”
“O Lord God, You are so faithful. When my love fails, Your love remains steadfast. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill me with Your power and love. Help me know the power of Your Spirit and give me the grace to follow in Your steps. Keep me from waywardness and lead me to everlasting life. For You are good, and Your love endures forever.” Amen.