“And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve Him only…” – 1 Samuel 7:3
By now in our story we realize that we need more than a deliverer. The cycle we are stuck in at this point was most clearly illustrated in the Book of Judges. We reject God and live our own way until we get into trouble. Then, we cry out to God and He sends a deliverer to rescue us. Then, once we are safe, we go back to our ways and reject God’s way and so on…and so on. This story needs something. If nothing changes we could be stuck in a tailspin of hopelessness. There is something missing. A lack of connection with the rescuer.
Our God knows this. He knows that there needs to be more to existence than just bailing us out of our situations when we get ourselves into a bad spot. He desires a relationship with us that is deeper. One that is based on a mutual love. God wants to be more than the guy who comes in and cleans up our messes. God’s people had become satisfied with an “on-call” God who was available in cases of emergency, but that’s all. In other words, when we are in trouble, we can pull the alarm and the heavenly firetrucks show up. God has become our 911 response. But God desires more than that.
So God raises up Samuel. He is not the action hero that we have come to expect. He does bring the deliverance to the people of Israel but He is more of a Teacher than a Warrior. The Bible calls this new role in our story a “prophet”. From this point on God not only rescues His people but calls them into a regular relationship. He uses these teachers…prophets…to teach the people what God is like and what it means to know Him. These prophets would help the people see God’s hand working through their daily existence, as well as, the dramatic rescues.
In our Scripture today Samuel reminds the people that calling out to God involves more than dialing 911. God wants your attention…your loyalty…your heart. He wants to be more than your deliverer. He wants to be your Lord…your Father…your Shepherd.
So, Samuel takes them back to the “beginning” when God Created us for fellowship with Him and asked us to trust Him…have faith in Him…love Him. God uses this Prophet and all who follow, to remind us of the foundation of our story. That God made us and loves us and wants us to love Him. Samuel is not only an instrument that God uses to deliver His people but, also, one that helps them…teaches them about what it means to love Him. It is God helping us to grow and mature. It is God sticking with us. The patient Teacher.
How about your personal story? Is God someone you only turn to in times of trouble? Is your “relationship” behind a glass marked; “In case of emergency”? Because, if it is, I want to remind you that there is so much more that God wants for you. He wants to be a daily part of your life. He wants you to experience “life abundantly” (John 10:10) and live fully in His presence!
Yes, God will be there to rescue you when you call but the Scripture tells us that He is with us always and He wants you to know that! I’m no Samuel but allow me to challenge you today with his words, “If you are returning to the LORD…direct your heart to Him and serve Him only!”
Make this your story!