“In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have received God’s grace not to let it be wasted.” – (2 Corinthians 6:1)
3. KING SAUL
Nobody clearly epitomises a waster of grace like Saul, the first king of the nation of Israel. Saul has become a proverbial story of failure and lost opportunity. Starting from 1 Samuel 8, God made his displeasure for having a king known to the Israelites. Samuel warned them, but in vs 19 of 1 Samuel 8, the Bible says;
“nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us”.
God chose him, even when there was no trace of him being ready or prepared for the job — he just appeared in 1 Samuel 9:1. T
was unlike God. Most of the kings and leaders that God chose had very traceable histories of preparation.
Abraham’s story was very traceable (Genesis 12, 13, 14, and 15);
Jacob’s journey to the top was very traceable — from his days in his father’s house to the house of Laban to his encounter with the angel;
Joseph’s journey to the top was very traceable — from the pit to Potiphar’s house to the prison and to the palace;
Samuel’s journey also has a trace — right from when he served under Eli in 1 Samuel 2 and 3, till when he became a full-fledged prophet.
What about even the Lord Jesus, Apostle Paul and the other apostles. We know how they started.
But Saul just emerged from nowhere. Still, God chose him. That was a unique dimension of grace.
Saul’s family was the smallest of the tribe of Israel (Benjamin) (1 Samuel 9:21);
Saul was given a brand-new heart by God (1 Samuel 10:9);
Saul received three spiritual gifts for the new assignment God was giving to him — bread (the word of God (vs 3); information (spiritual intelligence) (vs 2); and the gift of prophecy (vs 6).
The Bible says, “to whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48). Shouldn’t a man like this fear God and maximise grace? It is usually the people who have the abundance of grace from God who potentially take it for granted.
Aaccording to Paul in Galatians 2:21, “the grace of God can be frustrated.” It is usually the people who didn’t pay any price who waste grace. What you suffered to get will be more appreciated by you. Many women didn’t suffer to find a good husband, and that’s why they don’t appreciate what they have. Most men didn’t struggle to find the right wife. That’s why they treat their wives with disrepute. It is the spirit of Saul.
Saul was among the few people God used the word ‘regret’ for in the scriptures. The Lord said to Samuel, “Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king” (1 Samuel 15:10).
You will not end up like Saul.
4. PROPHET ELI
The story of Eli is indeed a pathetic one. It underscores the strategic role of leadership in raising godly children or paying for their errors. There is no record of any sin in the Bible against Eli – no idolatry, no sexual immorality, and no stealing. Eli was a good man.
He was a godly priest of God whom God used to mentor the great prophet Samuel. But in spite of what God used him to do, he still didn’t end well. He wasted God’s grace and even went as far as ruining the lives of his coming generation. Eli walked into the scripture in 1 Samuel 1 when Hannah was in desperate need of a child. Eli provided a prophetic cover for Hannah when she was praying for a child. He said to her:
“Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” I Samuel 1:17.
Eli was a man that received grace from God. Here are some of the great things God did through him that confirms my point.
Eli was chosen and used to mentor Samuel into his prophetic office in 1 Samuel 3:9. Please bear in mind that God is careful about the choice of mentors for his chosen servants. This is a very important matter.
Eli was chosen by God to impart a prophetic blessing on Hannah in her desperate hour.
Eli was chosen by God as a priest and given the eternal honour of producing priests for God all through his generation (1 Samuel 2: 27-30)
“This sins of the sons of Eli were extremely serious in the Lord’s sight, because they treated the offerings to the Lord with such disrespect.” (1 Samuel 2:17 GNT)
In spite of the evil of these boys, God expected them to be stopped by their father, Eli, but he didn’t stop them. And that was Eli’s path to doom or path to wasting God’s grace. This speaks to the core of the roles of leaders in stemming evil in the church, at home, and in the lager society.
Eli was a grace waster because despite what God gave to him, he watched his children bring shame to the name of God, and he didn’t stop them. The price that Eli paid was really heavy.
He wasted a lifetime opportunity to raise lifetime priests in his generation. He eventually got judged by God with a heavy curse on his family and lineage (1 Samuel 2: 31-36). God has not changed.
PRAY WITH ME 🙏
May the sin of another not end my journey halfway.
I break every chain of parental courses affecting the fulfilment of my destiny.
I decree that the Grace of God upon my life shall not be neglected or wasted by ignorance. And Idecree that I will end well to the Glory of God. Amen.
© Evang. Kinika Enwenemati
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