Easter Devos

1 Samuel 12:20

"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.

Even in the old testament where we usually see God as a God of "fire and brimstone," we se here that he still shows grace to the Israelites, constantly forgiving them and taking them back. All he wanted them to do was to serve him with all their hearts. 

note: a good example of full hearted service is Paul (2 Cor 11:16-33)

I am so grateful for God's grace, though I do not want to abuse it. I think that many people get the wrong idea of his grace and think that if they have sinned so much they should stop trying to please him because it is pointless because he won't take them back.

I have had this same attitude when it comes to my relationships. I either stop trying to please God and walk away from him or I decide that I want to try to please him so I walk away from the relationship. Reading 1 Samuel I do not believe this is what God wants. He wants us to be totally devoted to serving him in our relationships. This does not require giving up relationships necessarily but rather to dedicate them to him and strive to please him in all that we do.