1 Samuel 12:20-22
20 And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. 22 For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.
How do you respond after sinning? The natural inclination seems to be to then try to avoid God, like Adam and Eve in the garden after the fall. In this passage Samuel earlier showed the people that they had sinned by asking for a king. But in verse 20 he encourages them to not run away ("you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord"). Yes, we have sinned, and we need to admit that. But don't make it worse by trying to hide. Instead, return to God. For the way of sin is empty (vs 21), and God will receive us if we return to him (vs 22).
Heavenly Father, thank you for not forsaking me when I sin. I need You, my only hope.
20 And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. 22 For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.
How do you respond after sinning? The natural inclination seems to be to then try to avoid God, like Adam and Eve in the garden after the fall. In this passage Samuel earlier showed the people that they had sinned by asking for a king. But in verse 20 he encourages them to not run away ("you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord"). Yes, we have sinned, and we need to admit that. But don't make it worse by trying to hide. Instead, return to God. For the way of sin is empty (vs 21), and God will receive us if we return to him (vs 22).
Heavenly Father, thank you for not forsaking me when I sin. I need You, my only hope.