1 Samuel 2:35: Living According to God's Heart

"And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever." 1 Samuel 2:35

When's the last time you considered what was in God's heart and mind? From a biblical perspective, we can certainly see the desires and the will of God in his Word, but how often do we neglect these things? I believe that we often read God's Word to find what God will is, and follow that up by doing nothing about it. This was the fault of Eli's sons in 1 Samuel 2: they did not do according to what is in the mind and heart of God. Surely we ought to not follow in their footsteps.

In 1 Samuel 2, we get a wonderful picture of what it looks like to not follow God well through the lives of Eli's sons. Eli's sons were very wicked and greedy, so much that the Bible even says that the Lord willed to put them to death (1 Samuel 3:25). What did they do that was so evil? Good question. It turns out that they were neglecting some of the sacrificial laws for their own gain, and therefore not fulfilling their role as priests (1 Samuel 2:12-17). However, at the heart of their sin was a desire to not do according to what was in the heart of God. This is what a prophet came and told Eli in verse 35 of the chapter. However, this statement was followed up by a promise that God would someday put a priest in place that would do what was in God's heart and mind (hint: it's Jesus.).

But what does this confusing story mean for us? Answer: the lives of Eli's sons give us a great portrait of how not to live out our Christian walk. They were evil, greedy, and living for their own gain. They neglected to do what God wanted them to do. However, we ought to do the opposite. We ought to live according to what is in the mind and heart of God, not against it. In other words, just as there is love and kindness in God's heart, we ought to live with love and kindness in our hearts. Just as God hates sin, we ought to hate sin. Surely there could be many more examples, but the point is this: we ought to live according to God's heart, not against God's heart as Eli's sons did.

So, how can you be better living according to that which is in God's heart this morning? We all know that God is loving, kind, merciful, faithful, and just, but how often are we not all of those things? What are some practical ways in which you can live out the things that are in God's heart this morning? I'll say a prayer for you as you do. Amen!