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The Voice of God

10/22/2019

 
Picture
The Lord called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.”
Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, lie down again.”
1 Samuel 3:4–5

It's interesting that when Samuel heard God, it sounded like Eli, the high priest.
Eli was old. He still had some reverence for God, but he had grown fat on the choice meat of the sacrifices that his sons were taking from the worshipers at the Tabernacle. When his sons were turning the Tabernacle into a place of adultery, Eli scolded them, but did not remove them or impose any consequences for their behavior. He honored his sons over God.  It is obvious that Eli had not earned the respect of his sons.  In contrast to his lax attitude toward his relatives, he was quick to judge and openly rebuke a godly woman pouring out her request to God. 

It was not Eli's "godly example" that earned Samuel's respectful service, but that he was God's anointed authority over him. Samuel's job was to attend to Eli.
THREE TIMES when Samuel heard GOD call his name...he heard the voice of Eli and got up quickly to attend to his needs.  It is likely this was in the very early hours of the morning. No grumbling. No second-guessing. An unmistakable voice. A quick response. 
When Eli finally realized that "the voice" was not Samuel's imagination but was, in fact, God Himself calling to Samuel, he told Samuel to respond: "Speak, for your servant is listening." ​
Because Samuel was attentive to his God-given authority, as undeserving as it was, he was in a position to be attentive to God, as worthy as He was. 

Samson's Weakness

10/4/2019

 
Judges 14:1, “Samson went down to Timnah and SAW A WOMAN in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines.” And Judges 16:20 is another summary theme: “And Samson awoke from his sleep and said, ‘I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.’ But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.”
 
These two verses highlight the two major themes developed in Samson's life:
  1. Samson was living by what his eyes saw, even when it was forbidden by God.
  2. Samson thought that there were no consequences for breaking his vow to God.
 
Most people who have heard of Samson know about “Samson and Delilah,” but there are actually three women in the story of Samson: all of them are Philistines and all of them appeal to his eyes and desires.
At least five times Samson broke his Nazirite vow, but only on the last time do we see the complete collapse of his life.
 
When you put the two threads together, what we see is that
Samson was a man set apart for God’s purposes, who instead was living for his own pleasures,
And thinking there were no consequences for doing so.

Praise the Lord!

10/1/2019

 
         Praise the Lord!
         Praise God in His sanctuary;
         Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
         Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
         Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.
...Let everything that has breath PRAISE THE LORD! 
Psalm 150:1-2

The End...

The Psalms are the hymnbook for any situation--fear, failing, faithfulness, family, following God...but the very last Psalm summarizes the End of it all: Praise to God! 
Here, in the structure of the book of Psalms, we have the foreshadowing of the book of Revelation:
​trials, tribulation, troubles--but at the end: a great multitude that no one could number, and angels, and elders, and four living creatures worshiping God and saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Rev. 7:9-12)

...is Jesus.

Here, in the structure of the book of Psalms, we have the foreshadowing that at the NAME OF JESUS, every knee will bow of those who are IN HEAVEN, and ON EARTH, and UNDER THE EARTH, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:9-11)
In Jesus, the Psalmist's admonition is finally fulfilled: everything that has breath WILL be praising the Lord!   
Praise is not dependent on the situation happening at hand in our lives, but the situation going on in heaven for the rest of eternity, which is based on the unchanging character of God and the finished work of Jesus Christ.
​Praise to the Lord!

    About this blog...

    Thousands have come to the same Word of God and seen His magnificance and penned commentary or devotional thoughts or hymns. What can I add that hasn't already been said?!
    ​Yet seeing the amazing God of Scripture propels me to add my snapshots to the multitudes that have gone before. 

    This informal blog is a place to share these devotional thoughts in the hope that they encourage you as you read through God's Word for yourself.

    ​--Leiann Walther

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