“SERVE HIM ONLY!”

 1 Samuel 7:3-4                    (ESV)

Samuel Judges Israel

“[3] And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with ALL YOUR HEART, then PUT AWAY THE FOREIGN gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and “SERVE HIM ONLY”, and HE WILL DELIVER YOU out of the hand of the Philistines.” [4] So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the LORD only.”

Samuel was a Messenger from GOD ALMIGHTY, a person who was tasked with making sure that the people he was speaking to HEARD the TRUE MESSAGE from the CREATOR!!  Listening to “other gods”, no matter how magnificent they “sound”, can be a flaw that can prove to be fatalistic.  Making certain that the people who one is CALLED to deliver the MESSAGE to “SERVE HIM ONLY” is received and implemented has to be THE MOST monumental task??  But when GOD ALMIGHTY is behind something, NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE!!!

The Apostle Paul writes about halfway through his letter to the Roman Church (Romans 7:15-20) that he has “the desire to do what is right, but NOT the ability to carry it out”!!  Why then does an immature BELIEVER such as I actually think that I am able to “SERVE HIM ONLY” when OUTSIDE OF JESUS there hasn’t been ONE SOUL who has lived a sinless life???

Back to the focal passages, the Philistines were a greatly feared adversary.  Certainly their reputation placed them far above any standards that “this world” could imagine.  But inside of 1 Samuel 7:10 it is WRITTEN  “….the LORD thundered with a MIGHTY SOUND that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and THEY WERE DEFEATED BEFORE ISRAEL.”

It might be very wise for us to “SERVE HIM ONLY” with our entire beings, THROUGH JESUS!  Too many times I find myself listening to what could be considered FOREIGN GODS INSTEAD of WAITING to “SERVE HIM ONLY”!!!  Psalms 27:14 (KJV) says “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and HE shall strengthen thine heart: WAIT, I SAY, ON THE LORD”.