Thursday 17 October 2013

Read: Ecclesiastes 5:4-7, 1 Samuel 15:10-23

Have you ever made a promise or a vow before God? Maybe it was during a particularly moving worship time or during a pointedly convicting sermon when you promised that you would obey the call of God in that moment. Maybe it was in a time of trouble when you promised God that if He would only deliver you out of the trouble you were in that you would do x, y or z for Him. Maybe it was in a time of sin when, after falling once again into that sin you have been fighting, you ask God's forgiveness and make the rash promise that you will never do it again.

We have all tried to make promises to God and failed in keeping them. Once the moment, the trouble or the guilt of sin has past we quickly forget our promises before Him and slide quickly back into our old ways. We are quick to come before God and pay Him lip-service but, as always, it is much easier said than done.

Solomon warns against these kinds of vows before God. He warns that if we come before God to make a vow or a promise before Him then we must be sure (and quick!) to fulfil it. God takes no delight or pleasure in lip-service and empty promises. In fact God sees our heart and the true intention behind our every word. What God truly delights in is the obedience and devotion of man, the actions that reveal the true state of our hearts.

We see this principal powerfully illustrated in the tragic tale of King Saul in 1 Samuel 15. God had commanded Saul to attack and destroy the Amalekites by wiping out every single man, woman, child and animal. Rather than obey the command of the Lord Saul took captive Agag, the King of the Amalekites, and left alive all the best livestock. Saul deliberately chose to disobey the command of the Lord, revealing the pride and disobedience in His heart.

When Samuel confronts Saul about his sin before God he tries to make excuses for what he has done, even having the audacity to claim that he saved the livestock to sacrifice to the Lord. Samuel's response in verse 22 reveals to us an incredible principal about our relationship with the Lord, "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better than the fat of rams."

A true relationship with God is not characterised by empty words and promises, it is characterised by unconditional obedience.

These words should deeply pierce our hearts. All of us have fallen short of obeying God unconditionally. Fortunately Christ obeyed God unconditionally and perfectly through His life, suffered the wrath of God on the cross and rose to eternal life to prove that our debt had been paid once and for all. The unconditional obedience of Christ allows us to have relationship with God again!

But this does not excuse us from obeying God. In fact now that we have relationship with God through Christ we are empowered and changed to serve and obey Him. 1 John 2:3 says that anyone who knows Christ will seek to obey Him. Through Christ our relationship with God should be characterised by that same unconditional obedience.

This should cause us to pause and reflect. Are our own lives characterised by unconditional obedience to God? Do we read His word and obediently apply its principals to our lives? When we feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit on areas of sin in our lives are we quick to deal with our sin? When we have an opportunity to obey God's commands to share Him with others or to serve His people are we quick and willing to obey?

Prayer: Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Praise God for the unconditional obedience of Christ and the salvation which you are able to have because of His work in you. Pray that He would grow in your heart a desire and passion for obedience and holiness. Pray that He would convict you of your sin today and strengthen you to deal with that sin. Pray that He would give you opportunities today to obey Him by sharing Him with others and serving His people.
• Pray for Scott and Rachel Adamson and their family in their work with Student Life. Pray that God would strengthen and encourage each of them in their work. Pray that they would have many opportunities to share Christ with those who don't know Him. Praise God for His work through Student Life. Pray that He would continue to work in Universities across Australia and guide the organisation in every decision they make.

My Additional Prayer Points

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Discussion Questions for families and groups

Obedience is clearly important to God in relation to worship, even more so than sacrifices and offerings.

1. How could you include this as part of your private worship time?
2. How could you encourage others with this in corporate worship times?

Jesus Challenge

Seek to meet with another believer this week to discuss your relationship with God in light of the five things we have discussed this week. Seek to answer the following questions together:

1. Which of these things was most challenging to you? Why?
2. How can you grow in this area?
3. Which of these things was least challenging to you? Why?
4. Could this reflect a need to grow in this area?
5. How can we encourage and help one another to put these things into practice this week?
6. How can I pray for you this week?

After you have discussed these things together make a time to meet again soon and encourage each other to continue growing in this area.