God is not a Tool: A Journey Through Samuel

1 Samuel 4

If you want to catch a fish, you bring a fishing pole right? It's a tool to do the job. No fishing pole, likely no fishing victory! OK, perhaps you are good with a spear, but I think my point is fair enough. If there is a job to do, bring a tool for the job.

Unfortunately this is how some of God's people also thought ... about Him.

They felt they could use God as a tool for victory.

And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. (1 Samuel 4:3-4 ESV)

Let me just say that this did not end well ...

Did God fight for Israel? Absolutely. However you often see other things first such as: Prayer, Guidance, Direction, Questions, Adoration, Sacrifice, Worship, Seeking Approval, etc. Not to mention the most important fact that it wasn't about the ark ... it was about God!

We are God's tools, He is not ours.

We seem to want to bring God into our lives when needed, upon request, with specific tasks in mind to perform. He is not a tool ...

"We often pray to be more like Christ, but whenever something comes into our life to make us more like Him, we immediately send out prayer requests to get that situation removed from our life!" - Henry Blackaby

He is not a tool ...

     He is God.

          He is Jesus.

May you and I simply seek Him first, and let the rest follow.

Love and Blessings,
~Matthew