1 Samuel 7:2b …Than all the people of Israel turned back to the LORD.
It must have been difficult for the Israelites to humble themselves before the Lord. To say, especially to the Creator of the Universe, “I got too big for my britches and I’m so sorry” isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. The Israelites had tried just going through the motions by taking the ark of the covenant into battle. It failed miserably. They were beginning to understand they need God Himself, not just His trappings.
1 Samuel 7:6 When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD….
So they humbled themselves before the Lord. They poured out water before Him to show the depth of their sorrow. But they still needed to get back into their rhythm with God, seeking Him, trusting Him, obeying Him, believing Him. It’s so much easier to stay in relationship than to reestablish the rhythm.
1 Samuel 7:7 When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for Your unfathomable love and mercy. Thank You that even when we get too big for our britches, You allow us to humble ourselves before You, to return to You and reestablish the rhythm of a loving relationship with You. Help us to check ourselves before we ever turn away, Lord. Help us to seek You, to draw closer to You, to root ourselves in You. Draw us closer. Amen.
1 Samuel 7:8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us….”
Have a blessed day.
The sense God gave a cow…. (devo reflection)
1 Samuel 6:7 “…get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.”
Commentary helped me understand this passage in a way I would never have understood on my own. The Philistines set even this up as a test. The fact that the cows had just calved and the calves were penned means the maternal instinct to care for their young would be very strong in the cows. The fact that they had never been yoked meant that the yoke was not natural for them and they would fight against it. Additionally, there was no driver to direct them nor keep them focused. If they went straight to Beth Shemesh, the Philistines figured, then the God of Israel must be responsible for their curse.
1 Samuel 6:10 So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves.
To recap: The Israelites treat the ark as a good luck charm. The Philistines, who have been facing one trial after another since capturing the ark aren’t convinced the God of Israel is behind their suffering. And the cows are devised as a test. And despite lowing all the way to show their displeasure at being hitched and away from their calves, the cows went straight to Beth Shemesh, without turning to the right or left. That’s God, my friends.
1 Samuel 6:12 Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping in the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or left….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. We try to complicate things so often, Lord, setting up tests and hoops for You to try to discern Your presence or Your will. Help us to hone in on You, Lord, not our perception of You or our desired outcome from You. Help us to cling to You and praise You always. Amen.
1 Samuel 6:14 The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock….
Have a blessed day.
But God…. (devo reflection)
1 Samuel 5:2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.
The end of 1 Samuel 4 is pretty rough. The Israelites brought in the ark of the covenant as their good luck charm, though their hearts were far away from God, and they were soundly defeated by the Philistines, who took the ark and place it beside their god. Things definitely didn’t look too good, but God….
1 Samuel 5:3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.
What powerful words “but God….” We see defeat, but God sees victory. We see ashes, but God sees the glory that is to come. We see our personal hopes, dreams, and desires, but God sees how He can use us in His kingdom work if we allow. We see loss, but God sees the rest of the story.
1 Samuel 5:4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the hope that can only come from You. Thank You for continuing to whisper to my heart that no matter how desperate or disappointing a situation looks, You are in control, already making a way, working things for our good and Your glory. Thank You for Your love, Your grace, and Your mercy. Draw us closer. Amen.
Hebrews 10:23 Let is hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who Promised is faithful.
Have a blessed day.
Lucky charm…. (devo reflection)
1 Samuel 4:4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD Almighty….
If asked, some athletes will admit to a lucky charm that they carry with them into games—a lucky pair of socks or a jersey or a piece of jewelry. And while I’m sure the item helps them feel more comfortable and confident as they face opponents, I’m equally sure that they have put in time and effort practicing, honing their skills, and working with their teammates.
1 Samuel 4:5 When the ark of the LORD’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.
The Israelites in this chapter seem to have forgotten a step. They claim the ark if the covenant as their lucky charm against the Philistines, but there seems to be no real relationship at all with their God, whom the ark represents. The Israelites seem to think they will win the battle because the ark is physically present, but the Spirit of the Lord, the most critical part of the equation, is missing. I wish I didn’t understand their thinking, but I’ve been guilty of similar thinking myself before. Jesus, Help me.
1 Samuel 4:6a Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that You are not a lucky charm to be used at our whim. Thank You for being real and present, for wanting a personal relationship with each of us. Thank You for Your grace and mercy for all those times I get it wrong. Help me to seek You always. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Samuel 4:6b-7 When they learned that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp, the Philistines were afraid….
Have a blessed day.
‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening….’ (devo reflection)
1 Samuel 3:8a A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
God doesn’t want automatons who blindly follow. He wants relationships with His children. I love in this chapter that God calls Samuel four different times. Samuel responds each time, but he doesn’t realize God is speaking. It isn’t until Samuel understands who is calling him that God responds beyond calling his name.
1 Samuel 3:8b-9 Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel lay down in his place.
The God of the universe wanted to be sure He had Samuel’s attention before speaking. How amazing is that? And He does that with us, too. In a thousand little ways He calls to us, waiting for us to see Him, hear Him, spend time with Him, to listen to what He has to say.
1 Samuel 3:10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for allowing us to come to You in relationship. Thank You for loving us so much that You continue to call us to You. This world is so loud and so insistent, Lord. Help us to listen for Your voice and respond eagerly when You call. Draw us closer. Amen.
1 Samuel 3:11 And the LORD said to Samuel….
Have a blessed day.
Rejoicing, always, in the Lord…. (devo reflection)
1 Samuel 2:1 Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the LORD….”
At the end of my prayer time this morning, the Lord laid Phil 4:4 so clearly on my heart, “Rejoice in the LORD always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” This verse echos Hannah’s prayer as she leaves her firstborn, this child for which she prayed for so long, in her Father’s house: “My heart rejoices in the LORD….” Commentary on this verse says, “She could not rejoice in leaving her son, but she could rejoice in the LORD. In the most desperate situations, when we have nothing else to rejoice in, we can rejoice in the LORD.”
1 Samuel 2:18 But Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.
This commentary strikes a deep cord because I have lived it. In some of my darkest hours, I have turned to God to acknowledge, “I don’t understand what’s going on and I certainly don’t like it, but I know that You are sovereign. I know that You are love. I know that somehow You can use this for my good and Your glory. I trust You, Lord, even though I do not understand. I trust that You are here and in control.” I considered it a prayer of desperation, but in light of Hannah’s prayer, I can see the praise it contains.
1 Samuel 2:21 And the LORD was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for being so clearly present with me as I struggle with the idea of loss. Thank You for bestowing on Your children “a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isaiah 61:3). Help me, always, to rejoice in You. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Samuel 2:26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people.
Have a blessed day.
The struggle with loss…. (devo reflection)
1 Samuel 1:6 Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.
Even though the story of Ruth brings so much hope, I still struggle with all the loss. Naomi lost her husband and two sons. Ruth lost her husband, her homeland, her way of life. And yet, what they gained was so much more, and more importantly, as Ruth’s son Obed is in the direct lineage of Jesus, our Savior, the world gained so much more.
1 Samuel 1:10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly.
I was texting with a friend yesterday about struggling with all that was lost, even with the gain. Her response has given me much to ponder: “I think that very issue is at the crux of the division between God’s values and ours. God’s priority is our salvation. Our priority is a happy life/strife free life/ loving life/ on and on but always life. We want our life on this earth to be long and happy. God wants as many souls in heaven as possible.”
1 Samuel 1:20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the LORD for him.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for friends with whom I can honestly share my struggles. Thank You for the truth of Romans 8:28, for working all things—even those involving pain and loss—to Your glory. Thank You for loving the one so much that You go after that one wholeheartedly every time. Use us in Your kingdom work, Lord. Draw us closer. Amen.
1 Samuel 1:27 “I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him.”
Have a blessed day.
Making a way…. (devo reflection)
Ruth 4:13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife….and she gave birth to a son.
The short book of Ruth seems the embodiment of Isaiah 61:3. From Naomi’s bitter return to Bethlehem, lamenting “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter” (Ruth 1:20) to the women’s celebration of “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer” (Ruth 4:14), we see Naomi and Ruth claiming “…beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair…” (Isaiah 61:3).
Ruth 4:14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD….For your daughter-in-law, who loves you…has given…birth.”
Perhaps the book of Ruth also helps me explain (or perhaps justify?) my hope is Isaiah 43:19: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness….” In the ashes of their broken hopes and dreams, Naomi and Ruth could not yet perceive the way forward that God was already working out. No matter what ashes you feel you are sitting in the middle of right now, know that God is already making a way for you, too.
Ruth 4:17a The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the hope that can only come from You, a hope exemplified in the book of Ruth. Thank You that even when we can’t see beyond the grief of our shattered dreams, You are already making a way, even if we can’t yet perceive it. Draw us closer to You. Amen.
Ruth 4:17b He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Have a blessed day.
Bold, brave, and trusting… (devo reflection)
Ruth 3:10 “The LORD bless you, my daughter….This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier….”
I can learn a lot about trusting God and obeying Him from Ruth. I really think my gut-instinct would have been to do what Orpah did. After all, Naomi insisted they stay in their homeland. As a widow with no living sons, Naomi had no real hope of providing them with husbands or heirs. Even the belief system was vastly different, with the Moabites worshiping various gods while the Israelites followed the one true God. Yet Ruth was determined to go with Naomi.
Ruth 3:11 “…All the people of my town know you are a woman of noble character.”
And because she followed the one true God, because she stayed with her mother-in-law, because she trusted and obeyed, her kindness and noble character shine through her actions, and God is working through Boaz to ensure both Ruth and Naomi are taken care of.
Ruth 3:13 “…if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives I will do it….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for this scripture. It is so easy to cling to comfort and familiarity as Orpah did, and no one faulted her, but sometimes You call us to be brave and trusting like Ruth, stepping completely out of our comfort zone so that You can work through us. Help me to know Your will for my life, Lord. Help me to be bold, brave, and trusting when You call. Amen.
Ruth 3:15 …he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her….
Have a blessed day.
“May you be richly rewarded by the LORD…” (devo reflection)
Ruth 2:10 …She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”
Ruth was a foreigner in a foreign land. She lost her husband, was left with no chance of an “easy life” with her mother-in-law (also a widow, now with no surviving sons), and still chose to follow her mother-in-law back to her home country, chose to leave behind her home, family, and gods, and to embrace Naomi as family, and her God as Ruth’s own.
Ruth 2:11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with people you did not know before.”
She expects nothing, no kindness, no favor. She works hard to gather grain for herself and her mother-in-law. She’s a fledgling in her faith, and yet, God guides her to the field of Boaz, who sees her hard work, who understands her kindness towards Naomi, who shows her favor and wishes for her God’s kindness and favor.
Ruth 2:12a “May the LORD repay you for what your have done….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for showing me the beautiful picture of Ruth’s fledgling faith. Thank You that we don’t have to be bible scholars to draw closer to You, to find favor in You. Thank You for allowing us to draw closer to You each day. Amen.
Ruth 2:12b “…May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
Have a blessed day.