How varied are the people who worship at an international church? Here is a partial sample of the people I talked with this past Sunday: Malaysian businessman and his wife; Australian school teacher, American businessman married to a Vietnamese, a woman teacher for the UK, a Korean businessman, two university students from China, several students from Nigeria, a woman visitor from Canada, a businessman and family from Hong Kong, etc. The variety of people with whom we deal each week is both exhilarating and challenging.
I read I Samuel 15 this morning. The familiar rebuke from Samuel to Saul always challenges us to check our priorities. For those of us long time believers, it is easier to offer worship and our financial offerings (since we've done this for many years) than it is to offer complete daily obedience to God.
King Saul offered animal sacrifices to God as commanded in the OT. And he offered God partial obedience. But God was not impressed and through Samuel rebuked Saul.
"Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice ---." I Samuel 15:22, 23
Since we serve the God of Samuel and Saul, lets make sure we never follow Saul's example. It is too easy to obey up to a point and then do what we want. We can't fool God and hopefully we have enough self awareness that we don't fool ourselves. Keep trusting and obeying!
I read I Samuel 15 this morning. The familiar rebuke from Samuel to Saul always challenges us to check our priorities. For those of us long time believers, it is easier to offer worship and our financial offerings (since we've done this for many years) than it is to offer complete daily obedience to God.
King Saul offered animal sacrifices to God as commanded in the OT. And he offered God partial obedience. But God was not impressed and through Samuel rebuked Saul.
"Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice ---." I Samuel 15:22, 23
Since we serve the God of Samuel and Saul, lets make sure we never follow Saul's example. It is too easy to obey up to a point and then do what we want. We can't fool God and hopefully we have enough self awareness that we don't fool ourselves. Keep trusting and obeying!
No comments:
Post a Comment