NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL

The HOLY SPIRIT is our helper, our counselor, and JESUS left HIM with us because we need HIM deeply in our Christian lives. HE is our guide, and so HE will convict us of our sins and of the places we have fallen short of the glory of GOD. It is for our good that we listen to HIM and repent for the times we stray away. However, there are times we do not heed to HIS voice and especially in situations where we feel we have it all together. We may sometimes believe that being a Christian means that we have the freedom to do whatever feels right and totally ignore the hastening of the HOLY SPIRIT about the issues that we feel confident in. This leads us down a dangerous path, where we keep up the habit of feeling confident in our own right and light, to the point where we no longer get the HOLY SPIRIT’s conviction and before we know it, we are walking alone. So, it cannot be business as usual when the HOLY SPIRIT convicts us when we are treading on uncharted paths. That our hearts are not seeking and obeying GOD should be of a great concern to us.

1st Samuel chapters 13 and 14 show us a clear difference between two men, a father and his son, king Saul and Jonathan, one who was self-steered and another, GOD-steered. Kindly read the chapters for proper context.
Saul, after offering a burnt sacrifice to GOD, an action that was a reserve for the Priests only, the Prophet Samuel comes to tell him that what he did was wrong. In sharp contrast to what David did when the Prophet Nathan told him of his sin against Uriah and Bathsheba, Saul went ahead with what he was doing before, no repentance, no remorse, as if business as usual, yet Samuel had declared over him something really terrible, yet good for an upright man.

And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your GOD, which HE commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for HIMSELF a man after HIS own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over HIS people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

I Samuel 13:13-14 NKJV

Let us take a look at some of the differences between Saul, a self-steered man, and Jonathan, a GOD-steered man, and how being quick to identify the place of the HOLY SPIRIT in our lives is important, and why we truly need to work with GOD.

‘But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with GOD this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.’

I Samuel 14:45 NKJV

The Differences

Saul, instead of repenting and turning to GOD for forgiveness and guidance when his sin was brought to his attention, he went on with his business. Jonathan instead, sought GOD about a way forward in the case of the battle against the Philistines.

Saul, instead of going into battle to face the enemy, he was in a shady comfort (every pun intended). Jonathan, in the meantime, was courageously going against the enemy.

Saul, instead of trusting GOD for a victory and going on with what was necessary, he was with six hundred men in the outskirts while Jonathan was having faith in GOD to deliver the Philistines into their hands, with only one other man by his side. I love how in 1st Samuel 14 verse 6 he says… “For nothing restraints the LORD from saving by many or by few.”

Saul, instead of seeing an opportunity to attack the Philistines when GOD sent them into confusion, he was busy trying to take a roll call of who was missing in his camp to ascertain who had led the battle. Perhaps a way to see who took his “fighter credits.” On the other hand, Jonathan was right in the middle of being used and guided by GOD.

Saul, instead of making wise decisions for winning the battle, he was busy making all the wrong ones. Calling for the ark of GOD, withdrawing the hand of the priest from the request he had made and asking his army to fast on a day of battle. In the meantime, Jonathan was feeding himself for strength for the battle ahead, as he made wise decisions as directed by GOD.
We see Saul making a decision to kill his son for disobeying his foolish oaths, but the Israelites saving Jonathan from the hands of his own father. They had seen what Jonathan had done under GOD’s command, but Saul couldn’t see it.

A few of the differences we see here, compared to the rest of their lifetime, but such a huge contrast between a father and son, yet the father was more than just a king to Jonathan. He was supposed to be a responsible adult to his son and the only way he would have been able to do that would have been by yielding to GOD. If Saul was careful to follow GOD, he would have made a huge difference in his life, his family’s, his leadership and in the lives of the Israelites in return.
Can you relate to and apply the differences, between the times you were self driven and to the times that you were GOD driven? What other differences can you note?

There’s a lot to learn…

From the differences between the two, we can clearly see how it looks like when we allow ourselves to be under the guidance of GOD. Jonathan got a confidence and courage to do what a king was meant to do. Saul had his times of doing good as we can see in the end of chapter 14, and at the beginning of his story before he was anointed and at other selected times, but his lifetime was recorded to be one horrible mistake after another, that led to him being rejected by GOD, not too long into his leadership. Also, who wants to be king on the request of Israel’s disobedience? It would seem Saul’s kingship was set to doom from the beginning, but see this portion of Scripture…

And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your GOD, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves.” Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. For the LORD will not forsake HIS people, for HIS great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you HIS people. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the LORD, and serve HIM in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things HE has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

I Samuel 12:19-25

If our hearts are keen, yielded, sober and surrendered to GOD, we shall know when the HOLY SPIRIT is convicting us of our waywardness. The times we have not spent time with GOD, when we haven’t walked with GOD, when we are lagging behind in prayer and devotion, when we have been out of touch with the Word of GOD, when we have failed to obey what we are needed to do by HIM, when we are not loving HIM, when we are not loving people and dealing with them unjustly, when we are about to get involved in shady and corrupt deals and decisions, and a lot of other convictions. HE is gracious to also show us a way out of the disobedience and guides us to HIS ways everlasting, lovingly, not without discipline, because love involves disciplining a child. It is also important to note that the Bible has asked us to be humble and keep pride at bay. Pride comes between us and the HOLY SPIRIT’s guidance. Pride is a whole huge topic on its own, and it would be very helpful if we deeply researched on it and its adverse effects on our hearts, and the subtle ways pride cunningly presents itself as confidence.

Samuel was clear about what the Israelites needed to do and what we should do as Christians. Not to turn aside from following the LORD, but serve HIM with all our hearts. We cannot afford to live business as usual when the HOLY SPIRIT shows us the places we are going wrong. We cannot afford to ignore HIS calling and urging over our lives and claim to be worshippers of GOD. We should be seeking ways to follow GOD and serve HIM, right. We are still standing, not because of any good that we are or have done, but by the grace of GOD. In that last portion of Scripture, we see Samuel telling the Israelites that the LORD will not forsake HIS people, for HIS great name’s sake, because it has pleased HIM to make them HIS people. We are here because of the LORD’s will and doing. WE didn’t earn it, we actually were grafted to the tree because some branches fell off. My prayer is that we may not allow any pride get in the way of doing exactly what the HOLY SPIRIT is calling us to do. That we shall not follow our own ways and deceptive hearts because we feel it is the right thing to do. That we shall be in total surrender to the authority of CHRIST and totally yield to GOD’s Word. That there is nothing that we shall do in our own understanding and that we may not go on business as usual, like Saul, when sin is glaring at us and its consequences so dire. It makes all the difference when we diligently and righteously walk with the LORD. There are many things we are able to accomplish for HIS Kingdom when we yield.

Prayer

Dear LORD,
Help us to understand how deeply sin grieves YOUR HOLY SPIRIT. Help us understand how grave sin is, that it took CHRIST to die such a gruesome death to set us apart from it. Help us to grasp enough of what it cost CHRIST on the Cross when HE died for the very sins that we may be flirting with and not repenting. Help us to be quick to obey whenever we get the conviction from you to do what is righteous and when we need to change something in our lives. Let us not ignore YOUR Word neither harden our hearts to YOUR hasten. Forgive us for the many times that we have ignored and not identified the role of the HOLY SPIRIT in our lives. For the times we have quenched and grieved HIM, forgive us we pray.
Amen.

More of GOD’s grace, love and light,
Lydia Ndwiga.