Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 27:7-8, Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.” 8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”
How often have we, in our righteous indignation, rebuked someone for sinning, but did so with a lack of love and humility? We justified our anger toward someone who stumbled because of the nature of the sin. We behaved as if we would never do to someone what was done to us (or someone we know), and therefore felt justified in rebuking the sinner and beating him/her senseless with our Bible verses. It always amazes me that our memory fails us when it comes to remembering verses such as Galatians 6:1-3, which read, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” I say all this to say that none of us, no matter how well we are walking with Christ today, know how well we will be walking with Him tomorrow. Saul, at one time, did what was right before God in condemning witchcraft and cutting off mediums and witches from the land; yet, here he is seeking answers from the very person he once forbade from dwelling amongst God’s people. In his fervency, we can only imagine that Saul would have been highly insulted if someone would have told him, at the moment he was enforcing God’s law, that he himself would someday seek the help of a witch. How often do we rebuke others for their sinfulness as if we would never be caught “doing such a thing”? The truth of the matter is that none of us are exempt from experiencing moments of selfishness and rebellion. There may be times when we will not be at our best and may even choose to try and manipulate circumstances in order to get what we want, especially when we feel that God is not answering our prayers or giving us what we desire. In those moments, we may find ourselves doing the very things that we have rebuked others for doing. That is why God warns us to approach those who stumble with gentleness and humility, only after considering ourselves and our own vulnerabilities, lest we also be tempted. Our ultimate goal should be to restore that person, just like we would want someone to do for us. Saul is a perfect example of what can happen when we choose to distance ourselves from the Lord. The key to not finding ourselves in this place is partly dependent on how well we maintain our relationship with Jesus; reading God’s Word daily, praying, and getting to know Him intimately. We must recognize that we are just as vulnerable to stumbling as anyone else. The invisible battle that rages around us, every single day, is real. The devils want nothing more than to kill our Christian testimony, steal our worship from God, and destroy our relationship with Him and others, bringing dishonor to the Name of Jesus (John 10:10). Let us not be like the dog who returns to his own vomit (Proverbs 26:11). We must not forget that there will never be a legitimate reason for turning back to the world, or seeking the devils, for answers that are found in Christ Jesus and His Word.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free 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 free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
No comments:
Post a Comment