Spiritual Preparation
Spiritual Preparation. When we come before God, He requires ALL of our hearts; as believers in Christ our lives have changed. No longer do we serve money, power, fame, etc.; we serve God with all of our hearts.
And all the house of Israel
lamented after the LORD.3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel,
saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away
the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your
hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from
the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the children of Israel put away the
Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.
1 Samuel 7:2b-4, NKJV
Spiritual Preparation
For an introduction to this topic we will consider a passage from 1 Samuel 7 in which the Israelites lamented after the Lord. Because of Israels' sin against God, God allowed the Philistines to conquer them and steal the Ark of God (Ark of the Covenant). When the Ark of God was returned, several Israelites from Beth Shemesh who looked into the Ark were killed by God.
And the men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? And to whom shall it go up from us?” So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the LORD; come down and take it up with you.” (1 Samuel 6:20-21)
Why had God done this? We gain some insight from Samuel in chapter 7. God is a holy and jealous God; He does not tolerate duplicity in our lives.
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24)
Look at Samuel's words in verse 3: “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
What kind of foreign gods do we serve today? Just look at those around you; what do people seek? In the 21st century, most people seek prosperity, power, fame, self-glorification, and the list goes on. Are these "foreign gods"? Anything that comes between us and God is a foreign god!
Do you remember the story of Moses and the burning bush? What did God say to Moses?
Then He [God] said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5
When we come before God, He requires ALL of our hearts; as believers in Christ our lives have changed. No longer do we serve money, power, fame, etc.; we serve God with all of our hearts. Christ is all! There is no other purpose in life for the Christian.
Pray today that spiritual preparation will be your top priority; ask for grace to serve God with all of your heart in a manner that is pleasing to Him.
Another Devotion on the Topic of Spiritual Preparation
Prepare Your Heart, Psalm 10:16-18
Devotional Reflections Home Page
New! Comments
Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.