Why We Do What We Do
Someone reigns in your life. You follow someone to decide what you do. You might be the one who rules your own life, or it could be another person. Take a minute and consider why you do what you do. Then, think about what God told Samuel when he was upset about the people asking for a king to reign over them like other countries.(I Samuel 8:6,7) It tells us a lot about ourselves and the Lord.
God told Samuel to anoint a king for Israel, because they had rejected Him from ruling over them. They were not rejecting Samuel. They had been rejecting God as their ruler ever since they came out of Egypt. God had punished them to try to get their attention, but He would not force them to obey Him. Therefore, He told Samuel to listen to them and give them a king. I think some people are waiting for God to force them to follow Him as King of their lives, and when He doesn't force them, they think they can do whatever they want. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
It is difficult for any of us to submit to God as our King, but it is the best way to live. If you say that you trust in Jesus as Lord of your life, you are saying He is King of your life, that He reigns in your life. I hope that is the case. However, ask yourself a question, "What did I do today, because I was following the King of my life?" OK, how many things did you come up with? If you did mostly what you wanted to do, then you rejected God's reign. It is that simple. I know that is radical for some folks, but it is true. Let's not reject God. Let's decide to do what we do because He says that it is the right thing to do. Believe me, there are a lot of things He says we should do every day, and there are other things He tells us on a day to day basis. Let's decide that Jesus is Lord and live it out every day in what we do.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Samuel 10-12.
God told Samuel to anoint a king for Israel, because they had rejected Him from ruling over them. They were not rejecting Samuel. They had been rejecting God as their ruler ever since they came out of Egypt. God had punished them to try to get their attention, but He would not force them to obey Him. Therefore, He told Samuel to listen to them and give them a king. I think some people are waiting for God to force them to follow Him as King of their lives, and when He doesn't force them, they think they can do whatever they want. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
It is difficult for any of us to submit to God as our King, but it is the best way to live. If you say that you trust in Jesus as Lord of your life, you are saying He is King of your life, that He reigns in your life. I hope that is the case. However, ask yourself a question, "What did I do today, because I was following the King of my life?" OK, how many things did you come up with? If you did mostly what you wanted to do, then you rejected God's reign. It is that simple. I know that is radical for some folks, but it is true. Let's not reject God. Let's decide to do what we do because He says that it is the right thing to do. Believe me, there are a lot of things He says we should do every day, and there are other things He tells us on a day to day basis. Let's decide that Jesus is Lord and live it out every day in what we do.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Samuel 10-12.