The Reflection of Our Heart

-

Verse: 1 Samuel 8:7

"And the Lord said to Samuel, 'Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.'"

Each thing we do on earth, each word we say, shows how we are behaving with our Creator. Until this point, God was ruling over His people, and their primary focus was to be unto Him. But now, they were fed up with God's standards and asked for a king who would rule over them physically. This request loudly declared to God that they didn't want Him as their primary focus anymore. They wanted a physical ruler, someone they could see and touch, rather than the invisible God who had been guiding them thus far.

This request reveals the state of their heart, a heart that had grown tired of God's ways and wanted to detach themselves from Him. When we begin to detach God from ourselves, we start to express ourselves oddly, in ways that are not pleasing to Him. We must be careful in each behavior, searching whether it is pleasing to God, and whether our intentions are in tune with His.

This is a sobering reminder that our actions and words have consequences, not just in our relationships with others, but also in our relationship with God. When we reject God's reign over our lives, we are essentially saying that we don't want Him to be our Lord and King. We are saying that we want to be in control, that we want to rule our own lives, rather than submitting to His sovereignty.

But the truth is, God is still the same, whether we acknowledge Him as our King or not. He is still the one who created us, who sustains us, and who loves us. And He is still the one who desires to have a personal relationship with us, to guide us, and to direct us.

As we reflect on our own hearts, let us ask ourselves: are we seeking to please God in all that we do? Are we submitting to His sovereignty over our lives? Or are we, like the Israelites, seeking to detach ourselves from Him and go our own way?

Prayer:

Dear God, help us to examine our hearts and to see if we are seeking to please You in all that we do. Help us to submit to Your sovereignty over our lives, and to acknowledge You as our Lord and King. Give us the desire to please You, and to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to You. Amen.

Popular posts from this blog

A Divine Encounter: From Fear to New Identity❤️

-
Verses:Genesis 32:22-32 "That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, 'Let me go, for it is daybreak.' But Jacob replied, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.' The man asked him, 'What is your name?' 'Jacob,' he answered. Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.'" In this remarkable story, God comes down to meet Jacob in his moment of fear and uncertainty. Jacob is worried about his upcoming encounter with Esau, but God has a different plan. Inste...
Read more

A Glimpse of God's Goodness

-
Verse: Genesis 48:11 (NIV) 11 Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face again, and yet God has allowed me to see your children too." As Jacob gazed upon the faces of his loved ones, he felt as though he was beholding the very face of God. In this moment, he realized that experiencing God's goodness was akin to seeing God Himself. The joy, the peace, and the love that radiated from their presence was a tangible manifestation of God's divine goodness, a reflection of His loving character. Jacob's heart overflowed with emotion as he grasped the magnitude of God's love. He felt the warmth of God's embrace, the comfort of His presence, and the assurance of His guidance. In this moment, all his doubts, fears, and worries seemed to fade away, replaced by a deep sense of trust and surrender. "Oh, the goodness of God!" he exclaimed, his heart overflowing with praise. "To see Your face in the faces of my loved ones is to behold Your ve...
Read more

The Weight of Our Actions: A Lifelong Reminder

-
Verse: Genesis 49:3-4 - "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, you shall not excel; because you went up to your father's bed; then defiled it: he went up to my couch." In the book of Genesis, we find a poignant reminder that our actions have consequences that can last a lifetime. The story of Reuben, the firstborn son of Jacob, serves as a powerful illustration of this truth. Despite being blessed with strength, dignity, and power, Reuben's reckless behavior led to a lifelong spot on his reputation. Reuben's mistake was not just a momentary lapse in judgment, but a deliberate choice that had far-reaching consequences. By sleeping with his father's concubine, Bilhah, he not only dishonored his father but also destabilized the family dynamics. This singular act of disobedience and disrespect earned him a lasting rebuke from his father, Jacob. The weight...
Read more