1 Samuel 7:4 “So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.”
1 Samuel 7:4 is a response to Samuel’s challenge for Israel to put away their foreign gods and get serious about serving only the one and true God. 1 Samuel 7:3 states, “Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
In the NLT you will find verse 3 stating, “Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, If you are really serious about wanting to return to the LORD, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Determine to obey only the LORD; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”
Have you determined to serve and obey only the Lord? Maybe you have decided to serve and obey the Lord but not only the Lord. Instead of being wholeheartedly committed to the Lord you find yourself half-heartedly committed to Him. It is a tremendous temptation to attempt to serve both God and other gods, like the gods of money and/or pleasure, and/or possessions, and/or fame. Jesus knew about this temptation when He declared emphatically that you cannot serve both God and mammon. In Matthew 6:24 He said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
As you consider how very serious you are about serving and living for the Lord only allow me to share an insight that I have gained over the years. Most people don’t commit to serving an idol but rather they allow an idol to creep into their lives and it then slowly takes control. We are prone to wander. We drift away from the Lord and to a devotion to an idol.
You may question this idea of having an idol as a Christian but if it were not possible to have an idol or idols in our lives why did the Apostle John write in the last verse of his first letter for us to “keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” (1 John 5:21). Is there something that has crept into your life and it now has your devotion and with your devotion to the idol you have pushed God away? Just as Samuel spoke to the Israelites in 1 Samuel 7:3 it is time for you to return to the Lord and you return by removing the false idols. May you have the testimony of 1 Samuel 7:4 on this fourth of July that you are serving the Lord ONLY!
Samuel would have to repeat his call to serve the Lord only. In 1 Samuel 12:24 he preached, “Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
Also, Happy 4th of July – Happy 248th Birthday America!! May we pursue righteousness for righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people! Proverbs 21:21 and Proverbs 14:34
Continue Strong Serving And Loving God Only,
And remember to DATE the Word