Without Variation

And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The LORD has anointed you king of Israel. [1 Samuel 15.17]

Saul had disobeyed the full instructions given him to completely destroy Amalek - every living thing.

It would be good here to address something that is pandemic in the Church: doing what we want and using some version of the Scriptures to support it. Now, to be clear, this is different than doing what God says without variation regardless what we want or think.

Here is a strategy Satan has used forever. He doesn't seem to have concern that we stand on God's Word as long as he can convince us to interject just some little variation (of our own desire). His "just one bite won't hurt" approach has fostered disobedience since the beginning.

We must be very attentive to what God says and do it without variation. There is no room for us to alter God's commands with our own modifications - regardless how good they sound. If God says to do or not to do something, we should be fixated on full compliance.

If what Samuel told Saul in the subject passage above has any application to us today, then, when we modify God's commands or directives with out own "good ideas", we have thought little of ourselves. What? Wouldn't that be just the opposite? That is an excellent question!

This passage reveals the inner struggle every person faces to live for God or live for themselves. While "doing your own thing" is indeed a selfish move for one living for himself, it is a self-destructive move when viewed from the perspective that man is God's and can only experience blessings in obedience to Him. Samuel pointed this out in shaming Saul for ignoring the LORD's anointing which proved he "thought little of himself" instead of obeying God wholeheartedly as His anointed king which would have secured great blessings.

But, that is just like Satan's lies. They sound good at first, but any time we allow for even the least variation from what God said, we are, in essence, self destructing.

If there is the least idea that we might be modifying God's leading upon our lives we should re-think!

Father, help me to review my life for those areas where I have modified Your instructions or leading to fit my agenda instead of Yours. Forgive me for thinking so little of myself to do that!