The Celestial Vending Machine

Reference: I Samuel 13:14 For the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.

Observation: We want God to be a God after our own hearts. In other words, we want Him to love what we love and to hate what we hate and to bless us how and when we want to be blessed. Too often, we see God as the great vending machine in the sky. Put in the right prayers enough times and out comes the blessings we are looking for.

This verse forces us to face the brutal truth. It is not a matter of us getting God to see things our way. It is about learning to see, feel and react to things God’s way.

Here Saul tries the vending machine approach. He is about to go to battle and he has not put the right coins in the slot yet to get God’s blessing. He has been instructed to wait for Samuel before he sacrifices but he mistakenly thinks that it is the sacrifice that brings the blessing rather than understanding and getting in line with God’s heart. As a result, he lost his right to the throne.

We need a deep desire and willingness to pursue a heart like God’s. We need to know Him so much and to be so close to Him that we love what He loves and hate what He hates and pray, naturally, according to what He wants to see done. Those are the kinds of prayers God answers.

Application/Confession: I want that kind of understanding and relationship with God. I still find myself trying to get Him to sign up for my agenda. I want to pursue Him with more passion. I want to have more power and insight in my life but I know that it comes, first, from having His heart.

PRAYER: God, please give me a heart that is like yours. Convict me when I love what you hate and when I hate what you love. Reveal to me when I am trying to manipulate you rather than cooperate with what you are up to. Help me to see you and know you so well that it becomes natural to simply be your servant - doing whatever you want done and nothing more.