Daily Devotional for Sunday, May 19

Holding Fast the Faithful Word

“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers,” Titus 1:9.

“The company is restless, Your Majesty.”

With little military training and preparation, who could blame them? The Philistines were furious over their defeat at Geba. They hated Israel more than ever. Many of Israel’s men were hiding, and others had crossed the Jordan and escaped. More men deserted each day they waited for Samuel.

“How long did the prophet say he would be?” “He said wait seven days.”

“It has been seven days, Sir, and every day we lose more men.”

Saul stepped outside the tent and looked out at his dwindling troops.

Today was day seven. Where was Samuel? “Bring me the offerings.”

If you read 1 Samuel 13, you know just as Saul finished disobeying the words of the prophet and the command of the Lord, Samuel arrived. He reprimanded Saul; had he obeyed, had he held fast the faithful word, God would have established his name forever. Instead, he disobeyed and misled God’s people whom the Lord had entrusted to him.

Paul instructed Titus in Titus 1 to appoint elders in the churches in Crete. These were to be men who were good stewards of the Lord’s work, faithful, honest, self-controlled, just and disciplined. They were to be “holding fast the faithful word” (Titus 1:9) they were taught and not turn from it or implement their own ideas and own agendas. The Jews clinging tightly to the Law were doing that. They were leading God’s people away from the truth by their vain talk and deception. Paul said they must be silenced and others more righteous were to take their places. Like Samuel told Saul, the Lord wants those who will seek after His heart in leadership positions (1 Samuel 13:14).

THOUGHT
As followers of Christ, let us pray as the psalmist: “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments” (Psalm 119:10).

Kelli Reynolds