Devotional on 1 Samuel

Posted on April 29, 2012 by | Leave a comment

1 Samuel 12: …you find nothing against me — no faults, no complaints.
Early retirement
As Moses concludes his ministry he brings a final message that’s most of the book of Deuteronomy. Later on Joshua concludes his leadership with his “as for me and my house” sermon. Now we find Samuel delivering his concluding sermon. However, the situation is very different than it was with Moses and Joshua. They signed off because the end of life was near. Samuel, though old and gray, is taking an early retirement. He’ll be God’s man, bringing his message, for years to come. In fact, he’ll even make a “post-death” appearance! So why is he preaching a farewell message now? It’s because the people want to be led by a king rather than a prophet. Samuel’s leadership is being cut short by that decision. As he delivers this farewell, Samuel doesn’t pull any punches. Even as their ancestors of the book of Judges forgot God, they’re walking dangerously close to the edge of that same cliff in preferring the leadership model of the nations of Canaan rather than the one put in place by the Lord. This farewell sermon proves to be a memorable one, complete with special effects. As I read it I find myself thinking of how different it could have been for these people had they not insisted on this common sense solution to their leadership concerns. God’s way is always the best way and I want to live close enough to him that I can always hear his Voice providing direction in my life.
Take Away: Common sense must always take a back seat to God’s way.

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Devotional on 1 Samuel

Posted on April 28, 2012 by | Leave a comment

1 Samuel 10: He’s right over there — hidden in that pile of baggage.
Luggage compartment
Things are moving too fast for young Saul. Not long ago the old man of God, Samuel, floored him with the announcement that he has been picked by God to be the first king of Israel. Then there’s the surprising episode with the prophets; he still hasn’t figured that one out. Now, he finds himself at the big gathering to announce the new king. He already knows the outcome; Samuel let him in on God’s plan and the prospect of being king both terrifies and thrills him. This big man dislikes being noticed — something that can hardly be avoided. After all, just his standing up gets him plenty of attention. Almost by instinct he slips out of the main gathering to find a comfortable, out of sight place among the baggage. Here he sits, wondering what he will do when his name is announced. The answer to the question is known soon enough: he does nothing. Frozen in fear and indecision he sits there until someone finds him. Like it or not, he is the man picked by God to be king and the Lord won’t take “no” for an answer. I feel kind of sorry for Saul in this incident. In fact, I identify with both his hesitation and thrill at what the Lord’s doing in his life. Often I find myself feeling unworthy and incapable of doing what the Lord places before me. The greatest source of hope in such times is the knowledge that when God calls to some task he also provides the strength necessary to accomplish that task. Still, it would sometimes be easier to hide among the baggage.
Take Away: If the Lord calls you to it, he’ll enable you to do it.

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Devotional on 1 Samuel

Posted on April 27, 2012 by | Leave a comment

1 Samuel 10: Saul among the prophets! Who would have guessed?!
Heavenly surprises
The young man Saul is not a leader and he isn’t especially known for his spirituality. On this day, after his meeting with Samuel, Saul is headed home when he encounters a group of prophets on their way to worship. Before he knows it, Saul falls in with them, and then to everyone’s surprise he joins them in their religious expression. This is an unlikely event and word of it spreads throughout his family and friends. People are surprised at “Saul among the prophets.” After he becomes king a saying based on this incident becomes common. Anytime a person is surprised at something they shake their heads in wonder and say, “Saul among the prophets! Who would have guessed!” I’ve seen God do some surprising things in people’s lives. When I was a kid I knew a man who had been the town drunk. He was wonderfully converted and became the Sunday School Superintendent in the church where I grew up. “Saul among the prophets! Who would have guessed!” Another man, who was raised in the church, got away from God. His mother never stopped praying for him, but for years he seemed distant. One night he came to revival and responded to the invitation. A few years later he was a terrific youth leader in the church. “Saul among the prophets!” I love it when God does stuff like that and look forward to more “Saul among the prophets!” events in the days to come.
Take Away: The Lord does wonderfully surprising things in the lives of those who cooperate with his purposes for them.

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Devotional on 1 Samuel

Posted on April 26, 2012 by | Leave a comment

1 Samuel 10: The Spirit of God will come on you…and you’ll be transformed. You’ll be a new person.
Transformed
Beyond Saul’s natural advantages is the stated intention of God Almighty to make him into one of the heroes of the Bible. This big man is humble and practical and will be used by God in wonderful ways. What Saul lacks, his shyness and his inexperience as a spiritual leader, is recognized by the Lord so right off the Lord goes to work there. Samuel says that before the day is out Saul will be transformed into a man who openly worships God, one who can be numbered among the prophets. Failure is coming to Saul, but not because God just tossed him into the water to sink or swim. The same God who chooses him also enables him for the task. That’s still true today. What the Lord calls me to be enables me to be. There’s clearly more to be said about that, but this is a truth that’s made real in the lives of all that hear God’s call.
Take Away: Those the Lord calls he also equips.

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Devotional on 1 Samuel

Posted on April 25, 2012 by | Leave a comment

1 Samuel 9: He had a son, Saul, a most handsome young man…he literally stood head and shoulders above the crowd!
Self-sabotage
Since I know where this story’s headed I tend to brush past the way the Bible introduces Saul. Here’s a good man. In spite of his physical domination and naturally handsome good looks he’s humble. We meet him taking care of his father’s business, looking for some lost donkeys, but also concerned that his father might be worried about him. When it’s suggested that he visit the man of God, Samuel, and ask for help in locating the animals, he goes with offering in hand. When I read this introduction to Saul I’m impressed with him. He has the potential of being a terrific leader of Israel who’ll guide the people to a close, faithful walk with the Lord. As I begin reading the story of Saul I find no reason to expect failure on his part. Instead, everything’s in place for success at every level of his life. In choosing him, the Lord isn’t setting him up for failure. Instead, Saul’s being set up for success. That’s true, too, I think, in the lives of followers of Jesus. No one is saved to ultimately fail. In fact, success is guaranteed by the blood of Jesus. The only way my spiritual journey can end badly is if I sabotage it myself. Sorry to say we’re about to see an illustration of that from this capable young man.
Take Away: The Lord gives us everything we need to live for him and then live with him in eternity.

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Devotional on 1 Samuel

Posted on April 24, 2012 by | Leave a comment

1 Samuel 8: They are not rejecting you. They’ve rejected me as their King.
Vacuum of leadership
Samuel has been a faithful, capable, Spirit-filled leader of Israel for decades. Now he’s getting old and some of his responsibilities are falling on his sons. But they aren’t up to it. They have the authority of their father but lack his relationship with God. Ever since the great revival and victory over the Philistines many years earlier, Israel has served God under the faithful guidance of Samuel but now people are wondering what’s coming next. Clearly, Samuel can’t continue forever and his sons are miserable spiritual leaders. So what will they do? The decision is to ask for a king. Samuel is heartbroken but takes their request to the Lord. God says, “Samuel, don’t take it personally — this is about my relationship with them and isn’t about you.” What’s going on here? We have before us a failure to trust God. The people are correct in recognizing the leadership problem. However, they’re mistaken when, instead of going to the Lord and asking his direction, they come telling him what they want done. As we turn the pages of Scripture to look into their future we see that there are some good kings coming. However, by and large their kings fail them, leading to their destruction. How different the story might have been had they come to Samuel and said, “You’re getting old and your sons aren’t the spiritual leaders that you have been…pray to the Lord and ask him what we’re to do next.” How often do I limit what God can do in my life by telling him what I want him to do rather than asking him what he wants me to do?
Take Away: The Lord is willing to work with us; to hear our requests. The wiser route though, is to seek his will first.

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Devotional on 1 Samuel

Posted on April 23, 2012 by | Leave a comment

1 Samuel 7: Samuel gave solid leadership to Israel his entire life.
By God’s help we can live steady, Christ-like lives
This is a powerful and important statement about Samuel. Only rarely do we encounter such high credentials, even in the Bible. Abraham messed up by trying to “help” God in his relationship with Hagar. Moses failed at the Waters of Meribah Kadesh. Just about all the heroes of the Bible have blots on their records. But it’s not so with Samuel. From the time that as a lad serving in the house of God at Shiloh he hears God’s Voice to the end of his life Samuel is faithful. As a result, some of the golden days of the Old Testament are before us in our Scripture reading. Of course, this is actually a God-story more than it is a Samuel-story. It’s God who answers Hannah’s prayer that brings Samuel into the world in the first place. It’s God who initiates contact with the boy Samuel. And it’s God who continues to lead Samuel even as Samuel leads Israel. We see today that spiritual failure doesn’t have to be part of anyone’s story. I know it’s true that just about everyone has a story of spiritual breakdown, but here we see that the Lord’s able to keep us as we allow him to work freely in our lives. Isn’t it wonderful to be reminded that because the grace of the Lord is freely available to us that we don’t have to stumble our way through life hoping we can hold it together just enough to squeeze through the Pearly Gates at the finish line of life?
Take Away: The Lord provides us everything we need to live faithful, victorious Christian lives.

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Devotional on 1 Samuel

Posted on April 22, 2012 by | Leave a comment

1 Samuel 7: Samuel took a single rock and set it upright…He named it “Ebenezer” (Rock of Help), saying, “This marks the place where God helped us.”
X marks the spot
Samuel’s first test of leadership comes about because of a revival. He calls the people to make a real commitment to God and they gather at Mizpah to do just that. As they’re praying and fasting their enemies, the Philistines, hear about the meeting but mistake it for preparation for war. They decide to take the initiative and attack first. When word reaches the prayer meeting the people turn to Samuel for leadership. A wonderful indication of the genuineness of their new commitment to God is that they call on Samuel, not to rally troops for battle but…to pray! He prays and they pray, and God answers. As the Philistine force moves in for the fight God moves in their behalf. Thunder explodes in their midst and the result is panic. As the Philistine forces break ranks and run, Israel pursues, winning a great victory. They chase their enemies all the way past Beth Car. Here Samuel stands a rock as a monument to God’s help. He names it “Ebenezer” or “Rock of Help.” Every follower of God has some “Ebenezars” in his or her life. These are momentous victories, turning points. Samuel thinks such places are worth marking and remembering. What monuments to God’s help should I have standing in my life?
Take Away: There’s something powerful about remembering God’s grace, mercy, and help in days gone by.

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Devotional on 1 Samuel

Posted on April 21, 2012 by | Leave a comment

1 Samuel 7: If you are truly serious about coming back to God, clean house…they did it.
Sunrise!
A slow but sure movement of God has been taking place for over 20 years. People are more reverent concerning spiritual things and the worship of the Lord God has become more and more common. Now, through the ministry of God’s man, Samuel, they’ve arrived at a crossroads. It’s time for a clean break with the gods of Canaan and to surrender to the true God. They’ve come a long way during these 20 years but it’s now time to close the deal. It’s time to decide. It’s time to commit. Their response is a powerful three-word sentence: “They did it.” Reading these words reminds me of watching the eastern horizon at the dawning of a new day. The sky slowly becomes brighter, a hint of things to come. Then, with dazzling beauty, the sun slips into view, flooding the earth with the light of a new day. In the book of 1 Samuel we can watch the process with spiritual eyes. A childless woman prays and a son is given. The boy hears the Voice of God calling him in the night. The adventures of the Ark of God begin to transform the thinking of the people. Samuel inaugurates his ministry by calling for a decision. “They did it.” A new day dawns for Israel! Spiritual awakenings call for decision and commitment.
Take Away: God moves, but he doesn’t force us to respond.

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Devotional on 1 Samuel

Posted on April 20, 2012 by | Leave a comment

1 Samuel 7 They ordained his son, Eleazar, to take responsibility for the Chest of God.
Not famous, but faithful
The Ark of the Covenant ends up in Kiriath Jearim, the house of Abinadab. Someone needs to be responsible for the Ark. After all, during the seven years that it was in the hands of the Philistines tumors broke out among the population and when the men of Beth Shemesh treated it in an irreverent way they were struck dead. They can’t have the Ark just sitting around. Someone has to care for it. Abinadab’s son, Eleazar, takes the job. For the next twenty years Eleazar takes care of the Chest of God. We know nothing else about him. Not a single word from him is recorded in Scripture and he’s associated with none of the adventures of the Bible. He just takes care of the Ark. During that time a spiritual change for the better is taking place. Samuel is growing too — in spirit and in body. Soon, this spiritual giant will take center stage and will be the spiritual leader of Israel for decades to come. But, for now, God just needs someone to look after the Ark; to be a “place holder” for Samuel until he’s ready to assume leadership. Not many of us are “Samuels.” No doubt, God calls some to do the big stuff, and I thank God for them. Most of us are called to simply be faithful, serving the Lord every day, doing what he’s placed before us. It’s nice to be reminded though, that in this small way Eleazar kept things going for the good. His faithfulness held things together while God prepared the “big player” to come on the scene. I think that is pretty impressive.
Take Away: What an honor it is to be used of the Lord, even in some small, unnoticed way.

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