SERVING GOD FAITHFULLY
Ashley Ulino
Today’s Scripture: “Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.” 1 Samuel 12:24, ESV
Theme: Whether we are facing evil or are amid good times, God calls us to focus on Him and remain faithful.
FEARING THE LORD
When we look at the world around us, it's easy to see the troubling times we are in. We have lost our sense of who God is and the fear we should have of His judgement on sin. As children of God, we should have a healthy fear in mind because, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10a, ESV). True wisdom recognizes who God is – He is holy, just, righteous, and is deserving of our love and obedience. God deserves reverence and awe as He alone is in control and ultimately holds the victory over sin.
SERVING GOD
Since we are God’s children through our faith in Jesus and are inheriting His kingdom, we should want to serve and please Him. We should want to show God our love and obedience. I do not want to make my Father sad or angry with me because of my disobedience; I want to honor what He has to say. I want to listen to Him because I know He has my best interest at heart. I trust that what He tells me to do is for my good and the good of those around me.
FAITHFUL
Whether we are facing evil or we’re amid good times, we must remember our faithfulness to God comes first. We must choose to put God first in all our thoughts and actions. Our hearts must be dedicated to Him. We can continue to trust Him no matter what we are facing. I know it's so hard to trust God when the world looks scary, when you feel disappointment and brokenness. God is not afraid. He has good plans and purposes even if all we can see is chaos. I have to be honest, if I never felt shattered by the world I would never fully admit and submit to my need for God. One thing that helps me to remain faithful to Him is to look back and remember all the times He has been faithful to me. I can look back at my own story and in the lives of others in the Bible to recall how God was there all along and how He worked everything out for good in His timing. God’s character and promises to us will never fail.
Make It Personal: Though we often fail and fall short at keeping God first and honoring Him, His love calls us back into his arms. Let’s open our eyes to the faithfulness of God and choose to walk back into His grace. God is not distant; He has not left you. Choose to focus on His character and on His faithfulness despite your circumstances. Take this opportunity to call out to Him no matter how you are feeling today.
Pray: Father God, Thank You for Your faithfulness to us. Thank You that Your love calls us out of our sin and that Your grace allows us to come back into Your presence. Thank You for Your trustworthiness, for having good plans for our lives, and that You lovingly correct us when our perspective is wrong. Lord, forgive us for the times we have not put You first. Help us to remember Your love and faithfulness. Help us to keep our eyes on You. Help us to trust You beyond what our eyes see. Help us to build our lives on You. Thank You that You never fail us that we can have hope and confidence in You and in the plans You have for our lives.
Read: Proverbs 9:10-12, Leviticus 20:26, Matthew 14:22-32, Romans 5:21
Weekly Memory Verse: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5, ESV