Samuel

By Guest Writer

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 2:12-26, 1 Samuel 3:1-21, 1 Samuel 12:1-7, 1 Samuel 12:13-25

Above all, fear the LORD and worship him faithfully with all your heart; consider the great things he has done for you.
—1 Samuel 12:24

As a young man growing up in a temple run by overtly wicked men, Samuel saw a lot of what not to do. He witnessed the debauchery, disobedience, and blatant disregard of Eli’s sons as they disgraced their profoundly holy positions as priests. Samuel saw how their actions harmed the people they were supposed to be carefully shepherding, and he was given a prophetic message about the outcome of Eli’s sons. How different could their entire family’s legacy have been had Eli’s sons considered what God had done for them?

I see the experiences of Samuel’s adolescence echoed in his passionate pleading during his final public address to God’s people. From Eli’s sons to Saul, Samuel has experiential knowledge of the cost of disdaining God’s way. As Samuel considered the outcomes of this disobedience, he said, “Don’t turn away to follow worthless things that can’t profit or rescue you; they are worthless” (1Samuel 12:21). Samuel had learned that all of these other things that were tested in place of God’s wisdom—the idols, the wayward actions, the insistence on going their own way—were worthless because of how they hurt others and left none of the satisfaction they so emptily promised.

In comparison, when considering all God had done, Samuel’s response was, “Don’t be afraid. Even though you have committed all this evil, don’t turn away from following the LORD” (v.20). Even after the betrayal God’s people inflicted upon Him, God did not ask for them to be afraid of coming close; in fact, He declared that being near to their God was best for them in their sin. God offered His character as the certainty they could base their lives on, as Samuel said, “The LORD will not abandon his people, because of his great name and because he has determined to make you his own people” (v.22). The outcome of God’s way is the glory of His name and a confident, unshakeable identity as His chosen people. From the time of Moses and Aaron, God’s faithfulness has not wavered and His intentions have not deviated: Humanity will give praise to God alone, and they will belong to Him.

If you’re reading this to start your morning, think of how your day could be changed by considering what God has placed before you. We can enter each task, each conversation, or each struggle already saying, “God has done great things.”

If you’re reading this in the middle of your afternoon, think of how it’s never too late to recenter your heart on His truth. We can always, always begin again with “God has done great things.”

If you’re reading this to close your day, think of how many breaths filled your lungs and how many mercies guided your feet. As you count each up, how good does it feel to say “God has done great things!”

Written by Kayla De La Torre