Samuel Intercedes
by Josiah Tanner
Devotional given taken from Daily Walk Bible- March 17th (1 Samuel 12:19-25)
19The people all said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”
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 perish.”
“Try as you may, you will not find listed among the spiritual gifts in the New Testament the gift of criticism.
But criticizing the actions and motives of other continues to be a popular Christian sport. After all, it’s. game everyone can play, and it’s especially gratifying when the criticism is justified.
Samuel had every right to judge the people for demanding a king.
Their motives were wrong, and Samuel knew it.
But afer delivering his blistering rebuke, Samuel temepered it with love. Like a tender father discplining an erring child, Samuel let his true affections show through. ‘You have done all this evil’ yet ‘far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you’ (12:20,23). Though Samuel had reason to criticize, instead he turned to prayer.
How do you react when others stumble and fall? Are you quick to criticize or quick to intercede? Samuel turned his criticisms into a cause for prayer; think of one person for whom you’ll practice doing the same today.”
No one so thoroughly appreciates the value of construcvtive criticism
as the one who is giving it.
