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T O D A Y    G O D    I S    F I R S T
                  Marketplace Meditations
                       by Os Hillman

The Dangers of Overcontrol

For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like
the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the
Lord, He has rejected you as king.
- (1 Samuel 15:23)


A friend of mine who is a jet pilot once told me that whenever a
jet goes out of control and begins to spin, the only thing to do
is totally take your hands off the controls and the plane will
right itself. This goes against our natural inclination to
control and manipulate in order to bring things back under
control. It is scary to be out of control. Or is it?

Saul was a man out of control. He was losing control of his
kingdom to David. He was losing the favor of God and the people.
It began as compromises. Eventually he was given a final test to
obey the voice of God fully. He was instructed to kill the
Amalekites completely; but he failed to follow through. The
prophet Samuel delivered a hard word to King Saul, "Because you
have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king"
(see 1 Sam. 15:26). Saul obeyed partially, but not fully. It was
partial obedience that led to his removal as king of Israel and
his calling from God. But why did Saul do such a thing? "I was
afraid of the people and so I gave in to them" (1 Sam. 15:24b).
Saul's fear and insecurity made him more afraid of the people and
what they thought than of God. At the core of Saul's disobedience
was fear of losing control. That fear of losing control led to
partial obedience and the loss of his reign as king.

How many of us are in danger of losing God's blessing due to
partial obedience? How many of us have such a need to control
people and circumstances that we fail to fully walk in obedience
to God's voice in our lives? Saul provides a great lesson for us
as businesspeople. The need to overcontrol things around us can
prevent us from receiving all that God has for us. Today, take an
inventory of your control quotient.

Ask God if you are being fully obedient to what He has called you
to do this day, and avoid being put on the shelf for
disobedience. "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is
better than the fat of rams" (1 Sam. 15:22b).




Published and distributed by Crosswalk.com, this daily devotional is
written by Os Hillman (os@marketplaceleaders.org).  Os is president of
Marketplace Leaders, an Atlanta based ministry teaching Biblical
principles for career and business success.  He offers a FREE newsletter
and other resources at:
http://www.marketplaceleaders.org

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Mail: 3520 Habersham Club Drive, Cumming, Georgia 30041 USA.


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