Political Promises (1 Samuel 5)

Political Promises (1 Samuel 5)

1 Samuel 5.4 And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it. [nkjv]

I was watching candidates from two political parties go head to head on TV once during a national election. They seemed to be trying to out do each other with promises. The longer they spoke, the more incredible the promises became. The magnitude of their promises grew to such a degree that I was almost expecting one of them to promise to put an end to world hunger or something just as incredible.

No matter how amazing their promises were, I couldn't help wondering if, even after being elected, would they have the ability to carry out all of what they had just promised.

What struck me most when reading this chapter was the fact that God is Supreme. He is above all gods and every god will bow before Him. He is above every situation. No matter how bleak things look, God is still God! He was and is and shall always be - 'all powerful'.

I can take great comfort in this. It gives me the courage to face obstacles head on knowing that God is all powerful. He can back up whatever He says. Every promise God has given, He can deliver on!

Lord I thank You for Your words and for the promises You have made. Let me never forget You are not a man that You would lie and that You have the power to see all things work together for good.

What verse stood out to you in this chapter?

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The Spread of Corruption (1 Samuel 4)

The Spread of Corruption (1 Samuel 4)

1 Samuel 4.21 Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. [nkjv]

Finally it seems that justice has been dealt as Phinehas and Hophni are killed by the Philistine army. I wonder what was going through their minds as they accompanied the Ark of the Covenant into battle? Did they really think that God would fight for them? I wonder if Eli ever repeated Samuel's prophetic word to them? The sad truth is that the ramifications of corruption in the priesthood was not just confined to the individual priests in question but was felt by a whole nation and ultimately by the following generation, which carried the burden of shame by being called 'Ichabod'.

This is still true today.

Lord please help me to never treat Your presence as ordinary or take for granted Your call on my life.

This is what I got from 1 Samuel 4, how about you?

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God Uses Mistakes (1 Samuel 3)

God Uses Mistakes (1 Samuel 3)

1 Samuel 3.10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, 'Samuel! Samuel!' And Samuel answered, 'Speak, for Your servant hears' [nkjv]

Every time God called Samuel, Samuel thinking it was Eli, responded incorrectly. But the great thing was he at least responded. How many times does God speak to us through His Word and we do nothing!

Fear and doubt give way to procrastination and insecurity. We question 'was that really God or just me?' We worry about the consequences of stepping in the wrong direction. 'What if it all blows up in my face?' 'What if I step out of the will of God?' And all that happens is that we remain right where we are, we miss an opportunity and end up doing nothing.

But like Samuel, even if we step out in the wrong direction, God can cause us to discover the right way through our mistakes! There are so many scriptures which come to mind which reinforce the truth that God is faithful and He will lead and guide me even when I make a mistake.

He persists with us. I heard a preacher say once that God is the God of the second chance. I don't know where I would be today if God hadn't persisted with me. He is patient and kind.

Lord please help me be a man of action. Direct my steps today and even if I make a mistake and wander from the right path, please lead and guide me back to the place you want me to walk.

What was God showing you in this chapter?

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God Sees All (1 Samuel 2)

God Sees All (1 Samuel 2)

1 Samuel 2.21 And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the LORD [nkjv]

God never forgot Hannah. She offered back to Him the one thing which she had been praying for - a child. How amazing is that! I am not sure if I could have done the same thing if I were in her place. When you have prayed and prayed for something for so long and with such fervency, to then give it back with no guarantee that she would have anymore children. She fulfilled her promise to God. When I read about her I am reminded of Abraham who was prepared to sacrifice his son on the alter and of our God who sacrificed His only Son for the sins of others. She is an amazing woman!

God is no man's debtor. He knows the desires of our heart and listens to the words of our mouth and sees our actions. And He doesn't forget the sacrifices we make. He is no man's debtor. In His time He rewards the faithful 'pressed down shaken together and running over'. We cannot out give Him.

Lord, help me to be the sort of person who is true to my word. Let my yes be yes and my no be no. Let me never forget Your faithfulness towards those who seek You with their whole heart and help me to always walk in integrity.

This is what I got from 1 Samuel 2, how about you?

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God Never Forgets (1 Samuel 1)

God Never Forgets (1 Samuel 1)

Samuel 1.20 So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying "because I asked for him from the Lord." [nkjv]

These are so many thought going through my head after reading this chapter. But the one thing which stands out the most to me has to do with Elkanah and Hannah's relationship with each other and God. They didn't allow difficulty to tear them apart but rather it was something which brought them closer together and as a result were able to see God's blessing on their life through answered prayer.

They knew what they had to do and just got on and did it regardless of whether God came through or not. And in 'the process of time," God remembered.

They continued year after year offering sacrifices of thanksgiving to the Lord even though their prayers went unanswered. They continued attending 'church' and presenting their offerings despite corrupt leadership. Rather than focus on more fruitful relationships, Elkanah continued to love his wife through words and actions throughout the ordeal, going the extra mile. Rather than let bitterness take over her heart, Hannah came before the Lord and gave it to Him.

They walked in agreement with each other throughout this time as Elkanah, according to Numbers 30, had the ability to nullify Hannah's vow, yet didn't, even at the prospect of giving over his son to corrupt priests. He demonstrated his trust in God and his wife by remaining silent.

Even after doing all the right things for the right reasons, and even after receiving a promise from God via the High Priest there was still a process of time which had to occur before they saw any fruit. These are very faithful people.

God please help me to be the sort of man who can continue to lead my family and love my wife despite any difficulty which may come our way. Help me to walk with integrity and patience. Never let me forget that 'in the process of time,' You will remember us and the promises You have made to us.

This is what I got from 1 Samuel 1. How about you?

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