For His Name’s Sake

1 Samuel 12:19-22

¹⁹ The people all said to Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”

²⁰ “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. ²¹ Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. ²² For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own.

 

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Our mistakes must not define our future.  God is able to preserve His people for the sake of His name.

When the Israelites made a mistake in asking for a king [even if the Lord gave in to their selfish wants] Samuel was encouraging them in his farewell speech that if only they would remain in the Lord and not turning away from Him [by getting into useless idols and worshipping them again], the Lord will preserve them again for the sake of His name.

There’s a condition with God keeping us preserved in Him – we must not turn away from the Lord, serve the Lord with all our hearts, and not turning away after idols (at least from this passage).

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I know for sure that the Lord wants to preserve me in any way He can for His name’s sake! HALLELUJAH! I have indeed experienced this and seen the hand of God move in my life from the time I have fully committed my life to Him.  My mistakes must not define my future.  I am a new creation in Christ and therefore, I must:

• keep myself rooted in the Lord (not turning away at any cost)
• serve the Lord with all of my heart (keeping my heart in check; my motives and intentions as to why I do such things “for Him”)
• removing any form of “idolatry" in my life that keeps me from putting God first place (things that I do that is robbing off God’s place in my life – whether it be things, people, or habits)

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Lord, I praise You because You are delighted to call me your own, just as you did to the Israelites.  Regardless of my past sins, as now I have turned away from them, I know that You want to preserve my life for the sake of Your name.  Please help me to cooperate with You.  I pray that at any time that I am discouraged in this course of life, that I will never have any hint of turning away from You.  Help me that my heart will always be pure and clean as I serve and devote my life to You wholeheartedly.  And help me to “easily" and sacrificially remove anything that is taking 1st place in my life besides you.  You are the reason of my living.  Help me to please get up and running faster than I ever have been.  Only through You, I am able and I praise You for Your Love for me.  In Jesus’ name, amen.