Turn Ye Not Aside

God wanted His people to both be different and have things differently than any other nation in order that the world may see Him through them and know that He was indeed the only true God. God wants the same for us in this time as well. It was enough that He was their King, for He alone had given them their identity, their country, and their ongoing prosperity. Could an earthly king do more? He protected and took care of them by sending them continual deliverers called judges. He has done the same for every believer. We have His Only Son, who is ever our Deliverer, Savior, and Protector. "…because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people." Consider just who He has made you, and how GOOD IT IS!  We are a people whose God has promised not to forsake them. He called on them to stop and consider closely what they wanted, what they were doing by wanting this, and where it was leading them. This is good advice to us. We find ourselves almost daily at a crossroads of decision. We are pressured to just cave in and go along, to blend in and be like everyone else. After all, doesn't everyone else seem to be happy? NOT!!!

They people wanted to have the choice in the matter. "God, we are big enough. We are an informed generation now. We know what is best for us. Let me choose." Fact is, people have always had the choice, because serving God is first and foremost a matter of individual choice. God knows the best way, "the Good and the Right Way."  He has chosen this for you, for your own good, and in your own best interest.  He also knows what you would soon do if you forsake Him to be like the "other nations". You would quickly turn aside fro the Right, the Truth, the only safety, the only Hope.

No individual or people can adopt the secular ways of others without soon adopting their gods as well. What people esteem most and give their lives to can consume them to the point of become their gods. Staying with God puts our priorities where they should be, and one is happy in the fullest manner. However, if one turns from God to be like everyone else, then he turns aside to going after the pursuit of things that are vain and empty. They find themselves bound and enslaved to gods that give no lasting satisfaction, that can do no actual good thing for them, that starve the soul to eternal death. To turn aside from God is in reality to turn aside to nothing, to become nothing, to get nothing. The only thing that awaits is an awful accounting to the Holy and Just One they left. Then to be consumed in an unspeakable wrath for all eternity.

You see, it is all your choice. What do you want? What is best for you? Is it still to "do that which is right in our own eyes"? Let's take the advice of someone whom we can trust…Samuel. Instead of foolishly turning aside, let us come and turn to Him. Stay with Him, for only in Him is the Good and the Right Way… for you.