Note: I sent out yesterday's devotional by email but failed to post it to the blog site. It has now been posted and can be accessed by clicking on the "From Looking to Leading" link to the right. Here's today devotional:
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. -1 Sam 12:23 (NIV)
In chapter 12, Samuel is obviously preparing for his death or departure. He calls Israel together and makes sure that he has always dealt fairly and truthfully with them. If he has not, Samuel plans to make things right before he leaves.
Samuel also expresses his frustration with the Israelites. Time after time, God has heard their cries and delivered them from oppression, sin, and death. Yet despite God's continued faithfulness, the Israelites do not place their trust in God as King and instead want an earthly king of their own.
God gives them the king that they seek, but neither God nor Samuel are happy about it. In fact, Samuel calls upon God to send a great thunderstorm to help the Israelites realize that they have done evil in asking for an earthly king. The thunderstorm comes and leaves the Israelite people in awe of the Lord and Samuel.
The Israelites then ask Samuel to pray for them. Samuel promises to pray and he reminds them that there's still time for Israel to serve the Lord with all of their heart; the Lord does not want to turn His back on His people.
It strikes me that it would have been easy for Samuel NOT to pray for the Israelites. He was upset with them and he was frustrated with them. But Samuel prays for them nonetheless because, in his words, to fail to pray for them would be to sin against the Lord.
No matter how often people turn away from God, no matter how much they frustrate and upset us, we must pray for them because (according to Samuel) it would be a sin not to!
May God grant you the grace to pray for others today, especially those who are difficult to pray for!
Tomorrow's Readings: 1 Samuel 13, 1 Chronicles 2-3, and 2 Corinthians 12.
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