Showing Contempt for God

In my daily Bible reading, I came to 1 Samuel chapter 2. Verses 12 and 17 state as follows: “Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord….This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.”

No doubt Eli loved his sons, and he may have equated his failure to rebuke them with love; but in not correcting them in such a manner that moved them to obedience, he sealed his and his family’s doom. He only mildly got on their cases in 1 Samuel 2: 24-25 and God warned him of the pending outcome in verse 30. God issues His final judgment on Eli’s house in 1 Samuel 3: 12-13 through the child, Samuel. God says, “…his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them.”

I could go on about how Eli failed as a father in not being the spiritual leader of his children that he should have been, but that’s not my point in this posting. However, there’s no getting around the fact that parents’ attitudes towards worship naturally rub off onto their offspring.

So how do we show contempt for the Lord? Do we refuse to attend services because we find them boring? Do we think we’re supposed to be entertained? Do we just not care for the Lord’s supreme sacrifice in order to redeem us? Are we disrespectful during the memorial of the Lord’s Supper? Do we show ingratitude for God’s blessings in refusing to give of the firstfruits of our labor? Are we cynical, and do we nitpick our brothers and sisters to death that participate in teaching classes or in worship? It’s easier to pick people apart than to be active and try to make a difference in order to advance the Lord’s kingdom. Show some mercy!

If I have stepped on toes, I make no apologies. You either take your commitment to God seriously or you don’t. We all have spiritual dry seasons, your humble sokmnkee notwithstanding. Examine yourself and go into the closet of your heart and ask His forgiveness if you’ve despised His body. You may have to recondition yourself to Christian service, but I promise you will not be sorry.

Love Ya,
God Bless