The purpose of First Samuel is to record the life of Samuel, Israel’s last judge, thru reign and decline of Saul, the first king; and the choice and preparation of David, Israel’s greatest king. Establishing a monarchy did not solve Israel’s problems. What God desires is the genuine devotion of each person’s mind and heart to Him. No government or set of laws can substitute for the rule of God in your heart & life.
On Monday, we learn from 1Sam 1 that God Cares about Our Concerns. On Tuesday, we learn from 1Sam 7 that God Is Our Mighty Helper. On Wed, we learn from 1Sam 10 that Spirit of God Empowers Us. On Thursday, we learn from 17 that God Delivers the Faithful. On Friday, we learn fr 1Sam 20/22 that God Cares for Downtrodden. On Sat, we learn from 1Sam 30 that Gracious God Is Our Strength.
Let us humble ourselves and pray and seek His face. Help us O God be Christ’s disciples who Adore You: For You Care about Our Concerns; especially when are Downtrodden; For You are worthy of our Thanks as You Deliver and Empower Us; For You are worthy of our Praise being Mighty Helper & Our Strength. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
After months of running for his life, David concludes that leaving Israel entirely is the only way to escape Saul’s relentless pursuit. By convincing the Philistines he is a defector, David is given the city of Ziklag as his base of operations. But instead of aiding the enemy, David and his army methodically destroy Philistine strongholds. Meanwhile, Saul’s desperate attempts to counter the Philistine threat lead him to consult a medium. And instead of promise of victory, Saul heard frightening prediction of defeat and death, forecasts which came true the very next day as he & his sons die on the field of battle.
Lord, You are God of My Strength: It happened when David and his men came to Ziglag, on the third day that the Amalekites invaded the South burned it… and had taken captives… Then David and the people who were with him… wept until they had no more power to weep… Now David was greatly distressed for the people spoke of stoning him… But David Strengthen himself in the Lord his God (1Sam 30:1-6). Then David said to Abiathar the priest… Bring the ephod to me… So David inquired of the Lord: Shall I pursue this troop?… And He answered him: Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail Recover all (v7-8). Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped, except 400 young man… who fled. So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away(v17-18)
Lord, we learnt from David that we can strengthen ourselves in You. For You are our strong fortress and You are the God of our strength. In You Lord are power and might; and in You we find all that we need when we are weary or go out of gas. Forgive us for doubting Yr strength and failing to access it in our life. As Your children we claim access to Your strength, rather than walk in our own limited power. Amen.
Lord, some challenges we face can make us feel insecure & doubtful. Our fears tell us that if we take a wrong step, we will fall into danger. Help us learn from David to inquire of You Lord; and remember of Your assurance to provide us strength as the feet of a deer. Grant us direction and strength to do what we are called to do. And put Lord a spring in our steps as we follow where You lead. Amen.
Lord, I need You for my strength is limited but Your strength is endless. Gird me with Your great strength for I am weak but You are strong. Strengthen my heart and resolve when life seems so challenging. Strengthen my mind to think big because I serve a big God. Strengthen my hands to do all that You have called me to do; for You are My Strength!! Amen.
David the king-elect of Israel – anointed, approved in battle and awaiting the inauguration of his reign – is fleeing for his life from the deranged Saul, the king rejected. Saul’s pursuit drives David to desperate measures such as eating the forbidden shewbread at Nob and feigning insanity at Gath. But Scripture records that David’s confidence in God never slackens, as his frequent petitions to God for direction & protection clearly testify.
Lord, we aspire to Be Faithful: If he is angry and wants u killed, may the Lord kill me if I don’t warn you so u can escape & live. May the Lord be with you as he used to be with my father. And may you treat me with the faithful love of the Lord as long as I live… So Jonathan made a covenant with David saying: May the Lord destroy all your enemies! And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself (1 Sam 20:13-17) David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him (1 Sam 22:1-2).
Dear Lord, from the experience of David on the run from king Saul, we learn when treated unjustly that we should not take matters into our own hands. For God is just & faithful and You care for the downtrodden. Help us Lord to be faithful friends; & help us avail ourselves for service. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord, we are inspired Jonathan and David based their friendship as well as their commitment to You. Inspire us to be like Jonathan who displays loving commitment and let nothing comes between friends. Help us be people of integrity by keeping promises even though it may involve sacrifice. Amen
Lord, we note that David with Your help managed to mould the 400 men into a strong fighting men and did great exploits for the kingdom. Help our leaders to manage people from a range of backgrounds and to be humble in accepting their failings. Help our leaders to be both strong and humble for church leadership can be pretty tough work. Amen.
The rejection of a king after the people’s heart (Saul) sets the stage for the choice of a king after God’s own heart (David).A young shepherd with a disposition more suited to the pasture than the palace, David possesses few claims to fame. He is a good marksman with a sling, an excellent lyre player and the youngest of eight sons from an insignificant family in Bethlehem. But his heart attitude is one of undivided devotion; a quality readily visible in the way David dispatches the Philistine giant Goliath and handles Saul’s jealous attacks.
Lord,we Remember Yr Deliverance: Saul said to David: You are not able to go against this Philistine; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth…(But) David said: The Lord Who Delivered me from the paw of the bear, He Will Deliver me from the hand of this Philistine (1 Sam 17:33-37). Then David said to the Philistine, You came to me with a sword, with a spear and with a javelin. But I come to You in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel whom you have defiled… So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and… killed him (1 Sam 17:45-50)
Father God, just as You taught David to trust You when he killed the bear and the lion, prepare me for the battles I will face one day. And when I reach those battles, remind me I had overcome in other situations and that as You were with me then, You will be with me again. Give me the courage of David to take up the armour of God, for with it I can overcome anything. Amen.
Lord, help us remember our past deliverance and know that You will continue to be our Deliverer. Help us have the same perspective of David where size of the giant is irrelevant, for Goliath was puny when compared with almighty God. Help us to be trained in the power of God, fixing our eyes on You God, then we’ll not fear the giant. Amen.
Lord, remind us that prayer is not something that only happens in the quietness of a moment. Prompt us to cry out to You whilst in battle & desperate moments for deliverance may be a prayer away. Strengthen our faith in You so that we’ll not forget or give up praying. And enable us to stand strong in prayer, giving thanks for Your presence and deliverance. Amen.
From all outward appearances, Saul’s selection as the first king of Israel is an outstanding choice. His kingly demeanour & imposing presence make him a promising candidate fr a human perspective. But while man looks on the outward appearance, the Lord looks on the heart. Saul is anointed by Samuel, installed as king at Mizpah, proven in battle against the Ammonites and confirmed as king at Gilgal. But the fact remains (as pointed out by Samuel in his final address to the nation) that God not Saul should be king over Israel.
Praise be to the Spirit of God: Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul on the cheek and said: I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the leader of His people Israel… When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets… and they will be prophesying. At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you with power, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person… When they came to the hill there, behold a group of prophets met Saul; and the Spirit of God (Ruach Elohim) came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them (1 Sam 10:1, 5-6, 10)
Lord Ruach Elohim, in You we put our hope and trust for You are the Spirit of the living God. Because of You we can experience the fullness of God in our lives. Thank You for imparting the wisdom of Your Word in our heart and as You direct our thoughts. Help us pray with words we don’t even know we need to pray. Amen
Lord Ruach Elohim, forgive me for the sins I harbour in my heart. Forgive me for envy and becoming ungrateful for all You’ve done for me. Forgive me Lord when I am jealous, comparing Your path for me with the favour You have given to others. Grant me the strength and help to keep me from mortal sins in the future. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord Ruach Elohim, I ask You to be ever present in my spirit; and may Your Holy Spirit dominate my own. I don’t want to wrestle with fear or doubt. Instead I want the trust and rest that come from Your presence to be evident in my life. I seek You and Your closeness; for I need Your presence in all I do. And help me to know You and love You as I ought to. In Jesus’ name.
God Is Our Mighty Helper: Inspiring Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Robert Robinson (1735-1790) had always been prone to wander. Apprenticed to a barber at 14, he spent more time playing with friends than cutting hair. And as a wild youth he came to repentance. He became a pastor and wrote a few hymns. Come Thou Fount was written in 1757, inspired possibly by 1 Sam 7. Later in life he wandered from the Lord and felt he could not return. But he met a lady in a coach who shared the hymn Come Thou Fount to him. He replied: I’m the unhappy man who wrote the hymn years ago and I would give a thousand worlds to enjoy the feelings I had then.” She responded by telling him: “Sir, the ‘streams of mercy’ are still flowing.” And he repented.
Lord, we Call on You for Help: And Samuel said: Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the Lord for you… And they fasted that day and said: We have sinned against the Lord (1Sam 7:5-6). (Samuel) pleaded with the Lord to help Israel & the Lord answered. Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived for battle. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder… and the Philistines were thrown into confusion that the Israelites defeated them (v9-10). Then Samuel took a stone… set it up and called its name Ebenezer, saying: Thus far the Lord has helped us. So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel (v12-13).
Lord, we realized You are more ready to hear the prayers of Your people when they are repentant. You listened to Your servants’ intercession for divine favour. We note Samuel’s good practice of erecting Ebenezer memorial as Thanksgiving, which reminds us of Your goodness and power that we can call on You for help. Amen.
Father, thanks for streams of mercy that call for songs of loudest praise. We yearn to be able to erect our Ebenezer like Samuel & testify of U. But Lord, we are human, and like Robertson we are prone to wander. Cause us to always remember the Lord has helped us & be grateful. So, here’s my heart; take & seal it; seal it for Your courts above. Amen.
Lord, Thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace. Streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God. He, to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood… Lord, I raise my Ebenezer; hither by Thy help I come. Let Thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, O take and seal it; Seal it for Thy courts above. Amen.
The period of the judges is nearly at an end. One last judge remains: Samuel, a man of godly character and integrity who will guide the nation from judgeship to kinship. Samuel is the offspring of barren woman and the answer to fervent prayer. And he is consecrated to the Lord’s service from birth.
Lord, we cast our cares for You Care: Hannah was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. Then she made a vow: O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed… give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life (1Sam 1:10-11). As she continued praying… Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved but her voice was not heard. … So Eli thought she was drunk. But Hannah answered: No my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I’ve poured my soul before the Lord.. Then Eli answered: Go in peace and the God of Israel grant your petition which you’ve asked of Him… So the woman went her way, ate, and was no longer sad (v12-18). I asked the Lord to give me this boy and He has granted my request. Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life (1 Sam 1:27-28).
Lord, Hannah struggling with heartbreak of infertility & taunting, poured out her heart to You God. After she did, she ate something, and her face was no longer sad. Here we see a woman who knew how to give her worries to God. Help us Lord learn from Hannah to cast our worries over to You; for after all You care for us. Amen.
Lord, Your Word says in 1Pet 4:7 to Cast all our anxieties on You God because You care for us. Yet sometimes we take back the worries we claim to give to You. Help us Lord learn from Hannah; help us to rest the full weight of our worry in Your capable hands. Help us know You care for us and thanks for the peace You give. Amen
Lord, although we are not in the positn to bargain with Almighty God, You may choose to answer a prayer that has an attached promise to it. You God keep Your promises and will expect us also to keep ours. Help us Lord to be earnest by asking ourselves whether we will follow thru on the promise we make when God grants our request. Amen.
Gideon, Israel’s fifth judge, receives God’s call while hiding in a wine- press secretly threshing wheat. Midian’s oppression is indeed severe and Gideon is God’s man to lead the people in throwing off that yoke of bondage – a task that Gideon is not keen to accept! But once convinced of his calling through two miraculous signs, Gideon leads a humble army of 300 men, equipped only with torches and trumpets, in a stunning victory against the mighty Midianite forces. Israel’s weapons and rather unusual battle plan leave no room for doubt: The victory is the Lord’s.
Lord, You Love Impossible Odds: The Lord said to Gideon: You have too many warriors with you. If I let you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people: Whoever is timid or afraid may leave and go home. 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight (Jdgs 7:2-3). But the Lord told Gideon: There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring and I will sort out who will go with you and who will not (v4). Then the Lord said: By the 300 men who lapped I will save you & deliver the Midianites into your hand (v7).
Lord, when we face overwhelming circumstances, it is a perfect position for You God to intervene. For it is in those times that we like Gideon can learn to trust You. Many times we have felt there was no way out in the circumstance; only to discover later that You Lord was actually making a way for us. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
Lord, facing overwhelming odds can be frightening as Gideon felt. You God understood his fear but didn’t excuse Gideon from his task. Instead You led Gideon to slip into the enemy camp and overhear a chat that would give him courage. You God indeed can give us the strength we need for any situation. Help us Lord to listen to You and be ready to take the first step; for after we begin to obey will we find the courage to move on. Amen.
Lord, Your Word alone is sufficient Promise of the ultimate victory. We just need to simply trust You and carry out Your instructions. Thank You for being our warrior. Thank You, when I am in a battle, You’ll shine in midst of that battle. Thank You for giving us victory when it seems just impossible. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
The purpose of the book of Judges is to show that God’s judgment against sin is certain, and His forgiveness of sin and restoration to relationship are just as certain for those who repent. And the purpose of the book of Ruth is to show how three people remained strong in character and true to God even when the society around them was collapsing.
On Monday, we learn from Jdgs 3/5 that God Answers Prayer In Peril. On Tuesday, we learn from Jdgs 6 that the Lord of Peace Is With You. On Wed, we learn from Jdgs 7 that God Loves to Do the Impossible. On Thursday, we learn fr Jdgs 9-11 to Respect the Sovereign God. On Friday, we learn from Ruth 1-2 to Praise the Faithful God. On Saturday, we learn from Ruth 4 to Praise the Kinsman Redeemer.
Let us humble ourselves and pray and seek His face. Help us O God be Christ’s disciples who Adore You: For You are worthy of our Thanks as You as Lord of Peace Is With us & Answer Prayer when we’re in Peril; For You Love to do the Impossible and we respect Your Sovereignty; For You are worthy of our Praise as You as Father are always Faithful and Lord Jesus is our Redeemer. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
