Readings for today: 1 Samuel 15-16, John 8:1-20, Psalms 110, Proverbs 15:8-10
“For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king." (1 Samuel 15:23)
“I cannot believe in a God like that.” “Surely God wants me to have fun?” “God can’t be that picky, can He?” “Man, it sure seems like God has an ego.” I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve heard fellow Christians say these things and others like them. Typically, these comments come when Christians run smack up against a command of God they do not want to follow. They feel like God is out to get them. Out to steal their joy. Out to squash all their fun. So they presume upon His grace. They presume upon His merciful character. They go their own way. Do their own thing. And when the consequences come, they get angry or confused or blame God.
Sadly, too many people who call themselves Christians are biblically illiterate. They don’t even know God’s commands much less follow them. They find worship boring and pointless. Reading the Bible a chore. Prayer a waste of time. They live their lives any way they wish. They seek the fulfillment of their own desires. Spend their money primarily on themselves and their families. Use their time selfishly rather than seek to serve those around them. All the while believing they are loved by God. Forgiven by God. Blessed by God.
Saul presumed upon God’s grace as well. He followed God’s command and attacked the Amalekites. He defeated them and won a great victory for the Lord. However, he didn’t follow God’s commands. He spared the life of the king and kept the best of the spoil for a sacrifice. Now I can already hear the protests. Wasn’t his heart in the right place? Wasn’t his intent - if misguided - still pretty good? It’s not like he was trying to enrich himself? The answer to these questions is an unequivocal “no!” What God wants is our complete and full obedience. He wants us to follow His ways not create our own. He wants us to love Him with all our hearts. Show Him our full devotion. And Saul, by choosing to do things his way rather than God’s, lost his kingdom. He presumed. And in his presumption was destroyed.
This is a sobering story for us all. How often do we presume on God’s grace? How often do we take God for granted? The first commandment is to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. To love Him with all that we are. To put Him first. What does this look like in our everyday lives? It means spending time with Him in prayer and study of His Word. It means worshipping Him on the Lord’s Day with our fellow believers. It means serving Him and giving generously to support His work in the world. These things are non-negotiable. It also means loving and learning God’s commands. Actively aligning our lives to the life of Jesus. Taking His words seriously and seeking to apply them to our daily lives. Will we do that perfectly? Of course not. We will make mistakes along the way but there is forgiveness for those who are truly seeking the Lord. There is grace for those who stumble and fall as long as we are continually falling forward.
Let me challenge and encourage you to examine your life. Where do you need to confess the sin of presumption? Where have you taken God for granted? Do you truly love His commands and seek to follow them? Or do you go your own way. Do your own thing. And assume God will give you a pass?
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 17:1-18:4, John 8:21-30, Psalms 111, Proverbs 15:11