Is God your source or your supplement? In 1 Samuel 15 God sent King Saul to defeat the Amalekites. Instead of destroying everything the way he was supposed to, he spared the king, the best sheep, oxen and calves. When God sent Samuel to rebuke him, Saul said they spared them in order to sacrifice them to God. If you listen to Saul in this passage, he never rejects God. He believes in God, talks about God, uses the right lingo with the prophet, but only obeys selectively. It becomes clear that God is only a supplement to his life. He only does what is right in front of the prophet and only calls out to God when he needs something. Because his heart never fully committed to the Lord or His ways, he was rejected by God as king.
If you fast forward a few chapters to 23, you’ll see David, who was a man after God’s own heart. The Philistines had attacked a city and robbed them of the grain. Immediately David goes to God in prayer to find out if he should go after them. The Lord told him yes, but his men were afraid. Instead of being swayed by the opinions of others, he double checked with God. He went and fought the Philistines and rescued that city. God was not an accessory in David’s life or someone he prayed to in emergencies. David prayed, praised and sought the Lord often. He didn’t do much without inquiring of the Lord first. God was the source of his life. He wasn’t perfect and even sinned greatly. The difference in these two men was how and where they positioned God in their lives. One was rejected, the other was elevated despite his sin.
In Habakkuk 3:19 we see the prayer of another person who lived with God as their source. It says, “The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army]; He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my high places [of challenge and responsibility]” (AMP). Can you see the difference between someone who God is just a supplement to their life and someone who sees Him as the source? We can’t just apply parts of the Bible and only live for the Lord when others are watching. We can’t just call on Him when we need something. He must be the most vital relationship in our life. Have you been using God as a last resort or your first? Do you speak the right words in front of the right people or live them out when no one is watching? The answer to these will tell you if He is your source or simply a supplement to your life.
Photo by David Kanigan on Pexels.
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 