The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 12:23a,
"As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you."
Samuel was the last judge, or leader, God appointed for Israel prior to having a human king placed over them. Of the responsibilities Samuel had, praying for the people was one of them, and here he makes clear it would have been sinful to not pray for them.
Here a sin is not doing something, as opposed to doing something God declares is sinful. We refer to these kinds of sins as "sins of omission." Failing to do something God expects us to do is sinful.
I am reminded that followers of Jesus Christ have responsibilities as well, and it turns out that if we fail to pray for others, it is sinful. Our role in the world, as believers, is one of being a priest. Each and every believer in Jesus Christ has been appointed by God to be a priest, "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4. In speaking to believers, he goes on to say, "you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." Verses 9-10.
The primary responsibility of a priest is to represent the people to God, One such way is to pray for one another. as we are told in Ephesians 6:18, "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people."
Just as it would have been a sin for Samuel to fail to pray for the Israelites, so, I am convinced, it would be a sin for us to fail to pray for one another. "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them." James 4:17.
"As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you."
Samuel was the last judge, or leader, God appointed for Israel prior to having a human king placed over them. Of the responsibilities Samuel had, praying for the people was one of them, and here he makes clear it would have been sinful to not pray for them.
Here a sin is not doing something, as opposed to doing something God declares is sinful. We refer to these kinds of sins as "sins of omission." Failing to do something God expects us to do is sinful.
I am reminded that followers of Jesus Christ have responsibilities as well, and it turns out that if we fail to pray for others, it is sinful. Our role in the world, as believers, is one of being a priest. Each and every believer in Jesus Christ has been appointed by God to be a priest, "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4. In speaking to believers, he goes on to say, "you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." Verses 9-10.
The primary responsibility of a priest is to represent the people to God, One such way is to pray for one another. as we are told in Ephesians 6:18, "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people."
Just as it would have been a sin for Samuel to fail to pray for the Israelites, so, I am convinced, it would be a sin for us to fail to pray for one another. "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them." James 4:17.
When was the last time you prayed for one another?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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