PICK IT UP
Wk 13 Day 3

1 Samuel 12:20-25; 15:22
²⁰ "Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. ²¹ Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. ²² For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own. ²³ As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. ²⁴ But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. ²⁵ Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away."

²² But Samuel replied:
"Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.


No matter how much we sin against God, He is still faithful to forgive us. Pick it up from where you are and move on. God is a God of forgiveness and grace.

Facts:

• Serve the Lord with all your heart; fear the Lord and obey Him; serve Him faithfully; consider what great things He has done for you. as you move on from where you were in your disobedience/mess up.
• God will protect his name that even if we've done something wrong, He will not allow that to bring His name down - thus, protects us as well.
• Obedience to God is better than all the things we do for Him. It's better not to offer sacrifice and obey God than offering sacrifices yet not obeying Him.

Praise God He is not through with me yet. Praise God that He will protect His name even with all my mess ups. Praise God that He honors my obedience more than the sacrifice and service I offer to Him.

I will just serve God faithfully and with all my heart, continue to fear Him, and praise Him for the things that He has done for me and the things that He's about to do. I will obey Him no matter what the cost. I will extend God's forgiveness to those who have wronged and hurt me. They deserve to be forgiven because God forgives.

Lord, thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you that you remain who you are despite of who we are, sinful people. I pray that you help me extend your forgiveness to those around us - those we love and those we care for. You are the source of love and forgiveness. In you I will reside. Thank you Lord that you always give us a second chance to move on in our lives. Thank you for protecting your name and thus, protects us as well. You deserve all of my life, my obedience and sacrifices. Thank you Lord, in Jesus' name, amen.