Yesterday we talked about the Converse of Intervention and we used Samuel as our guiding point for discussion. Our passage comes from Samuel’s farewell speech in 1 Samuel 12:23, “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.”
Samuel knew the Israelites didn’t need an earthly king, but they demanded one anyway. Sam has poured his heart and soul into these people and they won't even listen to him. He has tried to get them to see their need for a heavenly King, but all they care about is an earthly one.
As a leader, it is hard when you lead people who won’t follow your counsel. This is what happens with Sam, but instead of doing what most pastors do in their farewell speech: giving the deacons, the church council or worse the congregation the what-for, Samuel tells them that he is going to continue to pray for them and to teach them what is right and good. Samuel could have justified his actions if he would have given up on these Israelites and told them off, but that's not what he did.
The reality is this: you and I have given up on people. We have written people off as if they do not matter to God. We have tried to encourage people who won't listen, and now we no longer talk to them. We have attempted to minister to people who aren't accepting, and we are sick of it. There are people in our past that we used to pray for, but we told ourselves that they will never change and therefore we no longer pray for them.
Who have you given up on?
Who do you need to start praying for today?
Even when people give you multiple reasons to give up on them: DON'T!
“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.”
Grace & Peace, Marc
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