God or Good Luck Charm?

Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 4:3, And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.”

Here is a sad commentary relative to Israel’s relationship with God, or lack thereof. What is even sadder is that I see the same thing happening with Christians today. What I am referring to is our tendency, as Christians, to try and use God as our “good luck charm”. This I fully expect from the world. When major tragedy strikes the world remembers God, “Pray for our country” “God bless our country”, and so on. Israel did something similar in that they did nothing to consult with God before they went out to fight against the Philistines. When things went from bad to worse, they remembered God. How often do we neglect our quiet time with God, our Bible reading and study time, and prayer time? Yet, we get spiritual when we face trials and tribulations. When life pulls the rug out from under us, we pull God out of our pocket like some lucky rabbits foot. When we want Him to provide for us, because we have failed to be good stewards of what God has already provided for us, we treat Him like He’s a genie in a bottle. As born again believers, God should not be an “afterthought” in our lives. He should be front and center and take precedents over all else and everyone else. In Luke 10:27 Jesus said, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” In one instances He said this, in Matthew 10:37, Jesus also said, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” Even when we study, it is not for the purpose of knowing more than the next person, or boosting our own ego. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us, “Study to show yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Note that we are to show ourselves approved, meaning acceptable or pleasing, not to man, but to God. When we make God the priority of our lives, and when we truly seek intimacy with Him, when tragedy strikes, we will not treat Him like He is some good luck charm in our pocket to be taken out only when we need Him. Instead, we will be steadfast, and ready to suffer, if needed, for His glory, realizing that He has not forsaken us at any moment. As a matter of fact, the closer we draw to Him, the more we will realize how wretched we are and how much we need to be repenting, confessing, and getting right with Him. In Luke 5:8 it gives this account when the Apostle Peter realized who Jesus was, “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’” Let us stop and consider our relationship with Jesus, and I will ask this, “Is He the Lord of our life or the good luck charm we pull out of our pocket when we get into trouble?”

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).