Friday, May 2: 1Samuel 12- Samuel a life well lived.

When I come to the end of my ministry and kingdom-service life, I hope and pray that I have lived with the integrity of Samuel! What a man of integrity, service and love for the Lord! What an example for any of us who seek to follow Jesus…

Lord, thank You for Samuel and his witness of integrity and faithfulness ALL the years of his life. May I, Lord, be so faithful and true to You.

In his farewell words, Samuel has to bring a pretty heavy word to Israel. They have sinned and their sin will cost them.

Sin always costs us. Sin seems good at the time, but in the end it costs us dearly. Israel would learn that lesson again the hard way.

Lord, remind me of Samuel’s words and the truth of Your word, the next time I am tempted and begin to be lured by sin. Remind me, Lord, that sin always costs… big time. It disrupts my relationship with You and it brings with it consequences. Lord, teach me to obey the leading and promptings of Your Spirit, I pray…

My heart was drawn to Samuel’s final words. But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish” (24-25).

This word was a warning to Israel and it warns me as well… the first words hit me square in the ‘face.’ But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart…

Fear… fear the Lord. God is to be feared. With a simple word God does whatever He wills. He brought the thunder and rain on Israel as a lesson. I am not even a grain of sand compared with the Lord. Yes, He is to be feared. When love, delight or duty are not enough to cause me to stay far from sin, then may fear of God rise up in me… such that I avoid all semblance of evil and sin!

Lord, I pray for a heart and mind that fears You, a mind that understands that You are supreme and at Your simplest word, what You will, happens. Period. End of story! I pray for a heart and mind that believes and lives in light of this truth!

Serve… serve Him faithfully with all my heart. Fear might keep me from doing wrong, but there is more to living with and for God than avoiding wrong. There is doing right. This is where the call to serve comes into play. And Samuel bids Israel, and by extension me, to serve the Lord with all my heart. Not serve minimally or serve some, but to serve with everything I have!!!

Lord, I pray for a heart and spirit that serves You and even more, longs to serve You with everything I have…

Lord, when I get lazy and self-centered, remind me of my prayer today. Remind me of Samuel’s words. Remind me of Your word which, over and over again, calls me (us) to undivided devotion to You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.