Day 20: 1 Samuel 3-15

I was struck in these passages by the presence of God, the physical, tangible presence of God.  In my community of faith, we've been looking at this idea of how does God communicate with us off and on for quite some time now.

Imagine yourself in the shoes of Samuel, a young child and hearing a voice calling you in the middle of the night.  I think I would be petrified or respond as Samuel did and run to the nearest adult who must be calling me.  Once Eli the priest gets what is going on, he tells Samuel what to do.  At that point I would be terrified.  Who is calling to me?  You mean, God?  I would be frozen in my bed and to add to my fears, the passage says that the LORD came and stood there.  It is no small thing to be in the presence of the Almighty God.  I don't think, I just don't know, would I respond as Samuel did.  I might.  I think I would also respond trembling and afraid.  Come to think of it, that is still my response, trembling and afraid.  God surely you can't mean me.  You're not talking to me.

Let's move on to the second point for a moment.  So the people in their rashness, essentially play with the Ark of the Covenant.  They think that just because they pull it out, God will be with them.  There is no doubt that the Ark represents God's presence and that His presence does dwell in the Ark.  If it were not so, why would the Philistines have suffered so much after they took the Ark and why would the Israelites die after they try to look inside.  Again, this all goes back to the attitude of the heart.  God deals with the Philistines and Israelites according to what they should know.  The Philistines through their encounter with the Ark and knowledge of history acknowledge that this god is powerful, but they don't know him.  The Israelites, they should know better.  They should have sought God before going into battle, perhaps then they wouldn't have lost or even brought out the Ark.  Secondly, you don't play with God.  God was harsh, but I think that is a good reminder for me today.  You don't play around with God because God is the God of the universe.  He is also the God that lives in me.  Awesome and amazing things!

This leads me to my final point, Saul.  The Israelites desperately want a king and so God gives them a king, he warns them, but nonetheless, the cry of their heart is not after the LORD their God, but wanting to be like everyone else around them (sounds familiar).  "Give us a king!"  Samuel anoints Saul as king and as he is chosen, his response is much like those we've heard before, particularly like Gideon in this case - I'm in the least clan in my tribe and my tribe is the least in Israel. This smacks of true humility and in the beginning, I think Saul was truly humble, but then something changed.

Saul clearly received the Spirit of God and he felt that power, and perhaps that power went to his head.  Perhaps Saul thought it had more to do with him then it had to do with the LORD and accomplishing His purposes.  Samuel gives the heart of the message in his "farewell" address to the Israelites, follow the LORD with your whole heart (Ch 12).  It's not just in Deuteronomy 6:4 or Matthew 28, or Mark or Luke.  It's littered throughout the Old Testament, especially as much as I've read so far.  I have no idea how I missed this before.  Of course Jesus would say this is the greatest commandment, it is so obvious.  It's because of this that Saul loses his kingship.  He falls prey to pleasing man, rather than God.  That is at the core.  Saul sacrifices without waiting for Samuel as he's been told (Ch 13) and then he almost kills Jonathan because he makes the man swear a stupid oath, but it's the others who intercede for Saul's son, when it should have been him (Ch 14), and lastly, he does not destroy everything of the Amalekites as he is told and instead claims to have kept the herds to offer as a sacrifice to God (Ch 15).  That is clearly not what God said to do and not what God wanted, but Saul wanted to look good for his peeps.  Samuel's response simply solidifies the fact that it comes down to the attitude of your heart:

²² But Samuel replied:
       "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
       as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ?
       To obey is better than sacrifice,
       and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

 ²³ For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
       and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
       Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
       he has rejected you as king."

LORD, I've been convicted.  May I treat you as the God of the universe and God of my heart because you are present and you are real and you are here.  May I not be trite in my dealings with you and may I give you honor as you truly deserve.  May I also not be terrified into silence or lack of action, but may my fear be a fear that honors you.  LORD, be the King of my life.  May I be wholly yours.  It's a scary thought, but I'll be safer with you than with my own wishings.