Getting Fat

I Samuel 2:29b
"...Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of very offering made by my people Israel?"

Eli had a problem. Even though he was God's chosen and came from a long line of God's chosen, his lineage was being set aside. God was raising up a new man who would know His heart and soul, Samuel.

I have wondered in the past how a godly man had two sons as ridiculously bad as Eli's sons. This verse struck a chord in my mother's heart this morning. God wants to be first. As a mother, I am to love God more than my sons and I am to honor him first. Eli put his relationship with his sons above what was righteous in the sight of God. He sold his "soul" for peace in the family.

OUCH! How many times have I sold out for peace in a relationship? How many times have I offended God because of my fear of offending others?


Another problem strikes me here. God was angry because they were fattening themselves on the choice offerings of the people. This sounds very much like the American church body as a whole. I believe that I am guilty of this. I am glad that the largest portion-the first fruit- of the offering goes toward a comfortable building, air conditioning, heat, and comfortable chairs. I am getting spiritually fat as I am fed in my comfortable atmosphere.

There is a real problem when the largest percentage of the budget goes to the happiness and comfort of the "priests" in the church. God has always made provision for his people, but He never called for this obesity! We are a holy priesthood. It is not our place to rake in the offering and feast on it. It is our obligation to spread it out back before the Lord. To honor his heart and soul by caring for the widows and orphans, visiting the imprisoned, ministering to the suffering, calling the lost to repentance.

I am seeking God's forgiveness and begging Him not to set us aside only to train up someone new. I am calling out for Him to train us up as the generation that will know His heart and soul and will serve Him in obedience. That we will never again horde what is not ours and become fat at the expense of obedience.