September 11, 2020 | 1 Samuel 11:1-14 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue We usually think of fear as a reaction to something that causes negative emotions: enclosed spaces, snakes, heights, darkness, or even public speaking. But in the Bible, the term “fear” is often used to communicate the reverence we have for God. This includes a […]
September 10, 2020 | 1 Samuel 10:1-27 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of England took place on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey. The queen arrived in a gold coach pulled by eight horses. Over eight thousand guests witnessed the public ceremony. Saul’s coronation was much different. Samuel declared […]
September 9, 2020 | 1 Samuel 9:1:27 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue G. K. Chesterton once observed, “Coincidences are spiritual puns.” In other words, what we view as coincidence may be God’s intervention in our life. Today’s passage describes a series of coincidences in Saul’s life that turned out to be divine appointments. We also get […]
September 8, 2020 | 1 Samuel 8:1-22 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue A vote of confidence is sometimes taken to indicate whether or not leaders continue to have support from those they serve. The term may be misleading. In most cases, such a vote occurs only when a significant number of people have expressed a lack […]
September 7, 2020 | 1 Samuel 7:1-17 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue The hymn “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” written by Robert Robinson, celebrates God’s protection and grace. But did you ever wonder about this puzzling phrase: “Here I raise my Ebenezer. . . .”? The line refers to the name of a monument made […]
September 6, 2020 | 1 Samuel 6:1-21 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Every child has experienced that uncomfortable moment when they realize they have crossed the line with a parent. The first clue may be their dad’s stern tone of voice or that pinched look their mom gets. The result is usually a feeling of fear […]
September 5, 2020 | 1 Samuel 5:1-12 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue “My dad is stronger than your dad,” said a little boy to his friend. This childish competition mirrors the way people in the ancient world thought about their gods. The Philistines placed the captured ark inside the temple of Dagon as a spoil of […]
September 4, 2020 | 1 Samuel 4:1-22 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Humans can sometimes fool them-selves in believing that they can control God. Israel knew better. In his book The Divine Commodity, author Skye Jethani observes, “Rather than a religion of superstition or divination, attempting to control and manipulate God, the Hebrew Scriptures called them […]
September 3, 2020 | 1 Samuel 3:1–21 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue When one-year-old Ayla Esler was able to hear for the very first time, she burst into a big smile, putting her hand to her ear and wiggling with glee. She was born deaf, but a device called a cochlear implant, which stimulates the auditory […]
September 2, 2020 | 1 Samuel 2:12–36 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue In recent days it seems as if news headlines are filled with stories about church leaders whose behavior has shocked believers and unbelievers alike. Unfortunately, these kinds of failures are not new. Today’s text contrasts the scandal caused by Eli’s sons with the simple […]