FN-026 - God Forgives the Sincerely Repentant

I Samuel 12:20 - young Samuel is grown up and has been the priest of Israel for many years, never defrauding them nor dishonoring God as Eli's sons had done. They begged God for a king, as though He were not king enough for them, but everyone else had a king, so, y'know... We get in so much trouble when we trade God in for what everyone else has...

Anyway, God and Samuel let them know what the price of a king would be - their resources would go to feed, protect, and decorate him and his home and his entourage - that is the way of human kings. Samuel reminded them of the King they rejected, the One who brought them out of Egypt, routed their enemies, and provided them a homeland, asking nothing for Himself but that they be His faithful representatives. Samuel asked God for a demonstration, and the Lord sent thunder and rain over the harvest-ready grain....they trembled, as they had at Sinai and on several occasions since, and repented of their foolishness.

This is when Samuel told them ‪#‎FearNot‬, and admonished them to follow God. He reminded them that for His own name's sake, God would never forsake His people. But be warned, neither will He fail to deal with disobedience - He knows how to release people to the consequences of their own choices while preserving a remnant of the faithful. As you read the words of Samuel to Israel in this moment, you hear the pre-echo of Jesus, saying to a woman "I do not condemn you. Go, and sin no more." #FearNot, God forgives the repentant, for His name's sake.

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