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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 2 of 5
1 Samuel 4:1-11
The sad state of the people requires renewed discipline on the LORD’s part. The Philistines are to be God’s instruments for teaching the people hard lessons. Israel goes out against them without consulting the LORD. What would God have answered if He had been asked? "Do not go out. I cannot give you victory because of your sins. You must begin by humbling yourselves before Me."
This is what had happened when Ai was taken. But the people are not at all concerned with what the LORD may think. And a preliminary defeat does not teach them anything. Rather the opposite! "The LORD has smitten us," they say. "So what? We’ll take Him with us; then He will have to fight for us."
So many people who call themselves Christians believe they can make use of God just as they please. They do what they want themselves and at the same time loudly call Him their Lord (see Matthew 7:21). But He will have to say to them one day, "I know you not," (Matthew 25:12). So God is far from approving all that is done in His name in Christendom. The beautiful name of Christ is often associated with some form of evil which people recognize but from which they do not wish to separate.
