“Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.3 So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.” 1 Samuel 7.2-4
Notice that once the people indicated they were going to return to the Lord, God, as their shepherd, gave instructions. Jesus told us we are like sheep without a shepherd, and so were the Israelites. God was their shepherd. He spoke through Samuel, indicating what they must do if they were going to return to the Lord.
Here is the list: get rid of all the foreign gods, commit yourselves to the Lord, and serve the Lord. That’s it. Period. Nothing else. Let me review—rid yourselves of idols, commit your heart, and serve God. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. However, in order to do these things, the people had to repent, return, and reject their culture, the pressures of daily living, and the desires of the flesh. The list is straightforward, but the challenge is monumental!
Then Samuel says what God will do in return: “He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” There isn’t a long list, but with that deliverance comes freedom from oppression, life, and liberty. It’s not only God delivering them; they are also delivering themselves by rejecting their own sinfulness and idolatry. When they do their part of obedience, God will do His part of deliverance.
This is why God never forces anyone to follow Him. Why would He? What loving God would force someone to love Him? Imagine if I forced my wife or kids to love me. I want to earn their respect and win their love. God is the same way. He does not need our love, but He created us to be in a loving relationship with Him. When we turn to Him and reject our sin and idols, we find that as we move toward God, He is already moving toward us.
This act is a lifelong endeavor. We are moving away from sin and toward the Savior. We are dying to self and living for Christ. We are shedding the old person and putting on the new hope found in Jesus. The story of the Israelites is a story for us. We are them, and they are us. And God remains faithful throughout.
So today, it is my goal to reject my idols, and commit my heart and service to Christ. That’s the end goal. And with Christ, all things are possible.
“O Lord God, you are good and loving. Even when my love fails, your love remains steadfast. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill me with your power. Allow me to walk in your light and find life through your Spirit. I praise you, Lord, for who you are to me. Come, let us meet together. I love you, Lord, and praise your name. For you are good, and your love endures forever.” Amen.