July 31: 1 Samuel 16:1-5
Key Verse: 1 Samuel 16:4
Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, "Do you come peaceably?"
Devotion:
When Saul had allowed the power of his position to get into his head, he started to do things for himself instead of doing things for God. Once he started down that slippery slope, there was no stopping him as the world and all it's temptation took hold in his life.
When we allow the world to take hold of our lives we begin to lose sight of the things God actually wants in our lives and the ways He would like us to be. The more we focus on the world, the more we take hold of its ways and lose the ways of God.
It does not mean we have to be pure and holy; none of us can attain such a way of life without giving our lives totally to God like Jesus did. That is an impossible task for all of us because we live in this sinful world and lead a life surrounded by this sin.
But when we start to listen to God and obey what it is He wants us to do, others will take notice and they may even be affraid of what we are doing. Why? Because we are doing what God wants and that shows the weaknesses and faults of everyone around us - something nobody wants to have pointed out in their lives! Stay close to God and listen to Him... then obey...
Points to ponder:
How often do you stop to listen to God?
How about taking a bit of time to go to a place such as an open church and just stop and listen...