Thursday, January 20, 2011

What’s Your Order?

1 Samuel 15:7-11

The Lord Almighty says, ‘I will punish the Amalekites’. His name means all-powerful: able to do as He pleases, and unstoppable in His purposes. He commands Saul to accomplish His will by totally destroying Israel’s enemy. But Saul defied his commander-in-chief. He thought best to spare Agag for display, and take the best goods for his depot. He called the shots as if it was for him to take. By disobeying his direct order, he disrespected his direct officer. He defied God’s name with an implied declaration of disenabling Him. And as his High King, Saul irreverently took the best of the livestock for himself, and offered the ‘not-best’ kill (v9b, the despised and the weak), to God. Further down the chapter, he reasoned that the plunder was intended as a sacrifice. If it really was the case, which surely was not, would you offer a king a live plate when he wants it dead? It’s like ordering a well done steak and having waited long, the waiter comes back with a raw meat. Obedience is defined as submission to authority. It is the acknowledgement that we are subjects and He is superior. There is no such thing as half obedience or delayed obedience for such negates the manner and time of compliance, which is part of the order. It also calls for complete yielding of one’s self and will to God. Delighting yourself in the Lord is embracing His will, owning it as yours, and so satisfying the desires of your heart. God cannot serve other will but His. In struggling with this truth, we only hurt ourselves. But hear this, “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.” (Ps19.7,8). Anything better than these?


 Application:

Like all disobedience, it roots from our uncertainty of God’s command and character. It deceives us into thinking if ‘He really said it” and that “(we) will be like God”. One opens the box of doubt, the other, discontent. Saul saw the plunder and maybe thought ‘why waste its carcasses to wild beasts when we can put it into good use’. Then seeing Agag, he imagined the glory of walking down the streets with this defeated king as display. Why do you think we can’t easily let go of our pet sins? “Oh, it’s just a small sin. I’m sure He wouldn’t thunder in for this”. Or worse, “I do have the right and I think I deserve some happiness here.” Many of us are battling with our personal devotions with God, We usually reason that it doesn’t have to be mornings or daily or more than five minutes. Surely we’re better off than others. And so we decide for ourselves, spend time when we have the spare time, or feel like it, or just when it’s crucially needed. We exchange it for ‘better’ things like preparing meals, doing exercise, going to work, and of course, we all need sleep! We’re missing the mark because our eyes are on our side of the doing (and what good it will bring us), rather than on Whom we’re doing it for. So why do we really need to spend time with God? Is it because we’re told to, or needed to? Hear that from your partner and you’ll conclude you weren’t loved at all.
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What’s Your Order?

1 Samuel 15:7-11

The Lord Almighty says, ‘I will punish the Amalekites’. His name means all-powerful: able to do as He pleases, and unstoppable in His purposes. He commands Saul to accomplish His will by totally destroying Israel’s enemy. But Saul defied his commander-in-chief. He thought best to spare Agag for display, and take the best goods for his depot. He called the shots as if it was for him to take. By disobeying his direct order, he disrespected his direct officer. He defied God’s name with an implied declaration of disenabling Him. And as his High King, Saul irreverently took the best of the livestock for himself, and offered the ‘not-best’ kill (v9b, the despised and the weak), to God. Further down the chapter, he reasoned that the plunder was intended as a sacrifice. If it really was the case, which surely was not, would you offer a king a live plate when he wants it dead? It’s like ordering a well done steak and having waited long, the waiter comes back with a raw meat. Obedience is defined as submission to authority. It is the acknowledgement that we are subjects and He is superior. There is no such thing as half obedience or delayed obedience for such negates the manner and time of compliance, which is part of the order. It also calls for complete yielding of one’s self and will to God. Delighting yourself in the Lord is embracing His will, owning it as yours, and so satisfying the desires of your heart. God cannot serve other will but His. In struggling with this truth, we only hurt ourselves. But hear this, “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.” (Ps19.7,8). Anything better than these?


 Application:

Like all disobedience, it roots from our uncertainty of God’s command and character. It deceives us into thinking if ‘He really said it” and that “(we) will be like God”. One opens the box of doubt, the other, discontent. Saul saw the plunder and maybe thought ‘why waste its carcasses to wild beasts when we can put it into good use’. Then seeing Agag, he imagined the glory of walking down the streets with this defeated king as display. Why do you think we can’t easily let go of our pet sins? “Oh, it’s just a small sin. I’m sure He wouldn’t thunder in for this”. Or worse, “I do have the right and I think I deserve some happiness here.” Many of us are battling with our personal devotions with God, We usually reason that it doesn’t have to be mornings or daily or more than five minutes. Surely we’re better off than others. And so we decide for ourselves, spend time when we have the spare time, or feel like it, or just when it’s crucially needed. We exchange it for ‘better’ things like preparing meals, doing exercise, going to work, and of course, we all need sleep! We’re missing the mark because our eyes are on our side of the doing (and what good it will bring us), rather than on Whom we’re doing it for. So why do we really need to spend time with God? Is it because we’re told to, or needed to? Hear that from your partner and you’ll conclude you weren’t loved at all.