His Glory, Our Good

Sometimes when I am reading my Bible, there is a passage or verse that sticks with me. This has happened with these verses from 1 Samuel.

And Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.
1 Samuel 12:20-22

In the context, the Israelite people have asked for a human king, even though God has lead them faithfully since he delivered them from slavery in Egypt. There are a few things that have been working on my heart since I read it. First, you see God's continuing grace. Samuel tells the people not to be afraid even though they "have done all this evil". Namely, rejecting God as their true King.

The second is the admonition to not take advantage of that grace, "do not turn aside after empty things". I've been very convicted over the past few weeks about my worship of sweets. Cake, pie, cookies, donuts, sugar, honey. I've structured my life around them. (Which is worship.) However, I find the reason that Samuel gives quite interesting. He says not to worship "empty things" because they "cannot profit or deliver". In other words,  they are not good for you.

And finally, the glorious promise, "the LORD will not forsake his people". If I were God, I would leave sinful people to their own mess. Thankfully, I am not God. He is patient with our weakness and sin. He lavishes His love on unlovely people. And His gracious love changes us, "because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself'". When we worship the One True God, He is glorified, and we receive good.

"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
 
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.
Matthew 22:37-38