It is Easy to Forget God!

SCRIPTURE:
I Samuel 12: 9 - 25
"But they forgot the LORD their God...

OBSERVATION:
It is one of the easiest things to do - to forget God. He has been pushed out, pressed out and left out of many a nation corporately and individually in a persons life journey. The phrase rings out and grabs my heart - "But they forgot the LORD their God; so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them. It is reminiscent of the fall of Rome recorded in Romans chapter 1. Romans 1:21, 24 & 25; "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened, Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen." (NIV) There is always a consequence for forgetting God and turning our back upon Him. It is never possible to be away from His love, care and His gaze - but it is possible to push Him out and deny His presence and heart and thereby, miss His touch. Israel realized the error of their ways and cried out to the Lord: I Samuel 12:10 They cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned; we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.' 11 Then the LORD sent Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, so that you lived securely. 12 "But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, 'No, we want a king to rule over us'-even though the LORD your God was your king. 13 Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the LORD has set a king over you. 14 If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God-good! 15 But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
In these verses we see the human condition underscored for us as Israel speaks in a bartering tone; "Lord if you deliver us, we will serve you." Then following the deliverance they speak out again, "we want a king - you are not enough for us." Israel was putting God off and not standing up with their side of the deal.
So, 16 "Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes! 17 Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call upon the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king." 18 Then Samuel called upon the LORD, and that same day the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the LORD and of Samuel. 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." Samuel gives the strong message of how Israel should live and how we should live today:
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. 23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away."APPLICATION:

Today's reading reminds us of the things we put our trust and hope in. Question: What are you trusting in more than God? In Israel's case it was not God. They wanted Him to do for them - but would not allow Him to be their King. They kept changing their expectations of God and in the short run had no real plans on serving Him. Samuel gave Israel some great tips for the journey back to submitting to God and allowing Him to be King.

1. Move away from what you value most and move to God.
verse 21: Do not turn away after useless idols.

2. Only God has the power to rescue you from your enemies (the things and people that come against you). verse 21

3. Be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart.verse 24

4. Remember to focus upon the great things God has done for you.
This will not only allow you to have excellent material from which will flow a heart of worship and gratitude but also keep you focused on the God who proved himself to be great and provided you with all you have. verse 24

5. Rehearse the consequences of turning your back on God.
verse 25 - Both you and your king (what you trust and value) will be swept away. There is nothing as great as following God and obeying Him.

PRAYER:
Dear God, May I submit and surrender to you as King of my life and the hope of my heart. May I be satisfied to have you as my King and none other. Jesus, I long to make you not only my Savior but my King and my Master. Amen!