TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jonah 2:1-10
From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. - Jonah 2:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
During World War I, a pigeon named Cher Ami delivered a message that saved about 200 U.S. soldiers in the 77th Infantry Division. He traveled 25 miles at an average speed of 60 miles per hour, despite bullets striking his eye, piercing his breast and wing, and shattering his leg—injuries sustained early in his flight. The bird survived the mission and was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for heroism.

Carrier pigeons are trained to reach their target no matter what stands in their way. And when God has a message to deliver, nothing—not even a disobedient prophet—will silence that message. Jonah had run from the assignment God gave him because he wanted to see the Ninevites perish (4:2). He sailed in the opposite direction and was thrown overboard. The swirling waters swallowed Jonah and seaweed tangled around his neck. He had no hope of making it to the surface on his own. It was at that point, in the depths that were to be his grave, he called out to God, and God answered.

In Jonah's bad boy journey, the high point of his transformation occurred at his very lowest point . . . in the belly of a fish. After his contrite prayer, he did obey; but his attitude didn't change dramatically. He was still upset by the salvation of Nineveh. The book ends with Jonah overcome with anger, rebuked by God for his lack of compassion (4:10-11).

Jonah's redeeming moment came after he was swallowed. It wasn't the most dramatic change of heart we'll study this month. He didn't exactly acknowledge his sin, although he did know he was being punished (v. 4). He didn't promise to obey the command of God (the vow he promised in v. 9 to fulfill was the sacrifice mentioned in the same verse).

The most compelling part of Jonah's prayer was when he acknowledged the very fact about God he would later come to regret: salvation comes from Him. Jonah knew he desperately needed the Lord's help.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jonah didn't reach the pinnacle of godly behavior or attitude, but God still used him to deliver His message to Nineveh, and to us. His saving grace was that he recognized his need for God, and he called on Him for help. If you ever doubt your ability to accomplish what God has called you to do, call out to Him for help. Don't rely on your strength alone to achieve great things for God. If He can send a fish to save a reluctant prophet, He can provide for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 19:1-10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. - Luke 19:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Captain Scott Southworth was deployed in Baghdad when his Military Police unit visited an orphanage housing children with disabilities. Ala'a Eddeen, a frail boy with severe cerebral palsy, dragged himself across the floor to meet him. Many times, Southworth's unit returned to the orphanage, and his love for the boy grew until he finally showed him the ultimate commitment—he adopted Ala'a as his son.

Similar to the way Ala'a was rescued by a man he could call “Baba” (Arabic for “Daddy”), Zacchaeus was forever changed by the love of a Savior who actually pursued him (v. 10).

The initial description of Zacchaeus suggests his bad boy status immediately. He wasn't just a tax collector. He was a chief tax collector, which meant he could have cheated other tax collectors as well as everyday citizens. His wealth, given his occupation, increases the likelihood that he was crooked to the core. The appalled accusations of the onlookers and the contrite confession from Zacchaeus tell us all we need to know about his life prior to meeting Jesus.

But Zacchaeus was not satisfied. He was willing to break into a sprint, run ahead of the crowds, and scale a tree for a better view, just to see this man named Jesus. Zacchaeus was not going to allow his physical shortcomings to keep him away from this important visitor. His interest in Jesus trumped whatever pride he had.

It may have been the first time Zacchaeus glimpsed Jesus, but Jesus knew him by name. And His emphatic command for Zacchaeus to hurry down showed that the desire to meet was mutual. Zacchaeus was overwhelmed with excitement. Without any rebuke from Jesus, only the complaints from the astonished crowd, Zacchaeus repented of his sin and offered to make amends at 400 percent of the original offense. It was a radical character transformation for someone whose life had been defined by greed. But he had been accepted by Jesus Christ and called—his money was no longer of any value to him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Zacchaeus erased his bad-boy status with one act: repentance induced by faith, an important lesson for us to follow. But we can learn even more from way Jesus saw Zacchaeus. He instantly accepted Him. Do you greet “sinners” the same way, or do you avert your eyes in disgrace when someone clearly doesn't fit the typical Christian mold? When our verdict is that others are beneath us, they notice; then they give that same verdict to our faith.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 23:32-43
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”-and you forgave the guilt of my sin. - Psalm 32:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
A man working at an auto factory was reading his Bible during his lunch break. Actually, he was looking at his Bible. He had recently come to faith in Christ, and he didn't know where to start or what to do. Staring at the pages for the first time, he prayed for someone who could help. Within moments, another worker—who was also a deacon at a local church—stopped and asked, “Do you know what you're reading?” They became friends for life.

God often puts His signature on His grace by using impeccable timing. For the criminal who defended Jesus on the cross, God's timing was uncanny, and the man's heart was ready.

We don't know for sure what crime the man had committed. We do know that Barabbas, a notorious criminal imprisoned as part of a murderous insurrection attempt (Matt. 27:16-21; Mark 15:7) had been set free from the same prison where Jesus was held. It is possible these men were part of that group. Whatever they had done, the man believed the horrible punishment of crucifixion was deserved. Indeed, his contrition was impressive, and rare in our study of bad boys. Even more remarkable was his faith.

Through his torment, this nameless man was able to appreciate the providence of actually being crucified with Christ. He believed that Jesus was blameless and didn't deserve to die. But he also had faith that Jesus' kingdom would be established, despite the fact that He was hanging on a cross! If anyone had reason to doubt Jesus would reign as Messiah, it would be the criminals dying a humiliating death alongside Him. But unlike the other criminal and the crowd who mockingly told the “King of the Jews” to save Himself, the criminal believed Jesus was a King who could save him. His last moment resounded with humble courage. He saw a lifetime of sin redeemed by one final expression of faith, and he died with the assurance of meeting Jesus in heaven that very day!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
When the consequences of your sins unfold, do you have the humility to accept that you deserved them? That's our first lesson from the criminal on the cross. The second one is this: do you have the courage to believe in the sovereign power of God even in the direst circumstances? If you are in pain or suffering, don't give up hope. In His moment of suffering, Christ compassionately assured a criminal of eternal life—there is no situation He can't help you through.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 21:1-19
We are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you. - 2 Corinthians 13:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Playwright George Bernard Shaw said, “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” He easily could have been talking about Peter. Peter was never afraid to make mistakes, and that led to a number of important learning experiences throughout his days with Jesus. He was shown his value despite his sin when Jesus called him as a disciple (Luke 5:8-11). He learned about fear and faith when he walked on the water with Jesus (Matt. 14:30). He discovered the importance of remaining vigilant when he fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:37).

But Peter's biggest mistake didn't come from overestimating his abilities or taking a risk with his faith—it came when his fear drove him to deny that he even knew Jesus at all.

After Peter's denial and the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Christ, it looked as though Peter questioned his future ministry. He returned to fishing, probably for the first time since he began following Jesus. He didn't recognize his Savior until the miraculous catch of fish. But as we can tell by Peter's exuberant return to the shore, his affection for Jesus hadn't diminished at all.

Jesus still brought the question to Peter's attention, three times. The first time He may have been asking if Peter intended to remain in Jesus' service and not returning to life as a fisherman. Then by asking Peter to affirm his love three times, Jesus was giving him the opportunity to reverse his three denials. Jesus was, in effect, commissioning Peter to be a leader, a teacher, and a caretaker of the early church. Instead of scolding Peter for his failure, Jesus used the opportunity to encourage Peter in the face of persecution that would eventually lead Peter to a death similar to Christ's. And in a poetic conclusion to His discourse with Peter, Jesus repeated the same phrase with which He originally called His group of “bad boy” disciples into service.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you follow Jesus as passionately as Peter did, you'll have occasions when you stumble and fall. These times provide an opportunity for humility, forgiveness, and learning from mistakes. That doesn't mean we should multiply our mistakes or sins, but be glad when you are reminded that it is in Christ, and not in great works of your own, that you have put your faith. As long as you are committed to following Him, your weakness will be overcome by His power.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 9:1-31
I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light. - Acts 26:17-18
TODAY IN THE WORD
Shirl Jennings lost his sight when he was just a boy, but after almost fifty years of learning to live with his blindness, doctors were able to restore his sight. The sudden visual flood was overwhelming. Jennings couldn't interpret the images—he actually needed to relearn how to see.

On the road to Damascus, Saul (who would become the apostle Paul) was blinded by a heavenly light, and when his sight returned, the reality that met his eyes was a brand new world.

Saul had been on a mission to seek out believers in Damascus, having received official permission from the synagogue there to apprehend any so-called offenders to be brought back to Jerusalem for punishment (Acts 22:5). His intentions were well known—Ananias knew Saul had obtained religious warrants to arrest believers. He had recommended the execution of Christians, tortured them to elicit blasphemy, and furiously pursued them in other countries (Acts 26:10-11). So when Saul went blind, he was light years away from accepting the truth of the gospel. In fact, he would later label himself the worst bad boy of them all (1 Tim. 1:15).

It took but a moment for all that to change. Acts 26 gives an expanded account of what Jesus told Saul, informing him of his new role as an evangelist (vv. 16-18). Jesus basically told Saul, “You're with Me now.” Saul immediately obeyed. When Ananias reluctantly agreed to meet him, Saul's sudden conversion was made complete by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Acceptance from the Christian community, though, wasn't instantaneous.

Believers were understandably skeptical of Saul, but their suspicions were overruled by his public acknowledgment that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (vv. 20-22). Any remaining doubt was removed when Saul became the target of the Jews' persecution. Saul's bout with blindness had opened his eyes to a faith worth dying for.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Saul's conversion gives hope to any bad boy at any stage of rebellion. When Jesus decides it's time to see the light, He can open their eyes. There is no spiritual chasm He can't bridge. No matter the sin or the degree of hatred for Jesus and His message, the love of Christ is always stronger. Take time today to pray for anyone you may have deemed a “lost cause,” even if it's yourself. Our Savior can redeem the worst “bad boy” to be His great servant.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:19-24
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus told a pair of short parables that speak to the heart of this month's study on stewardship. In the first, a man found a treasure in a field, then went and sold all he had in order to buy the field and obtain the treasure. In the second, a merchant found a perfect pearl, and he also went and sold all he had to buy it. The main lesson of both stories is the surpassing value of the kingdom of heaven. Good stewardship begins with knowing how to value what is truly valuable. Good stewardship begins by understanding that the things of this world are worthless compared to the things of God.

This is the mindset with which we approach our month's topic: We conduct our stewardship beneath the wings of the One who is worth immeasurably more than everything we are stewarding. Jesus also reminded us of this truth in the Sermon on the Mount. Our real treasure is not of this world. Earthly goods are temporary and always at risk; heavenly treasures last forever and cannot be stolen. Simple logic tells us which one is more worth pursuing and storing up. The principle is to prize what is greatest and to invest our energy and effort to acquire what really matters (vv. 19-21).

A second metaphor repeats this central idea. The “eye” is what we use to see and evaluate and choose the treasures on which we set our hearts. If we discern and strive for right priorities, we see clearly and walk in the light (vv. 22-23). Put God first, and everything else follows (v. 24).

Stewardship concerns not only money, which is often how we think of it, but also other resources such as time and energy, and other matters for which we bear responsibility, including relationships and the created world. This month we will study how to handle the people, things, and resources placed in our care or within our circle of influence as followers of Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
To begin this month's study, let's pray for godly change. Whether you feel mature or hopeless about various areas of stewardship, ask Him to use His Word to stimulate fresh growth and development in this area of your spiritual life over the next thirty days. God delights to have His Holy Spirit produce godly fruit in our lives, and He honors our prayers that we grow in ways that glorify Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 2:11-36
I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. - 1 Samuel 2:35
TODAY IN THE WORD
Late one evening, two fishermen were caught in a sudden storm on the sea. Unable to row to shore, the men endured a wet, fearful night of stinging rain and swelling waves. After the storm had passed, but still uncertain of their fate, they found comfort in glimpses of a lighthouse beacon in the distant horizon. Darkness was all about them, but hints of hope remained.

Today's passage is much like this ocean scene: darkness and dreadful judgment pervade the story, but glimpses of hope relentlessly break through. The opening verses record the disturbing truth about the spiritual leadership in Israel. Although the Law guaranteed sacrificial meat portions for all priests (see Lev. 7:28-36), Eli's sons greedily and irreverently took more. Furthermore, they engaged in sexual immorality with the sanctuary women. Finally, although Eli knew of his sons' sinful behavior, he failed to discipline them beyond a verbal slap on the wrist. In short, the spiritual leadership in Israel was a sinful mess.

Unlike Eli, God's response was decisive and severe: although He had blessed Eli's line with the honor of the priesthood, their sin would now bring generational punishment. Eli's line would be removed from honor and placed in utter disdain (vv. 27-36). These were hard words, both for Eli and his family, but also for the entire nation of Israel—their divinely appointed spiritual leadership had just come under severe judgment.

Yet in this dark and dreadful moment, there are glimpses of hope. It is easy to overlook, but Scripture is careful to repeat that behind all this wickedness and sin there is one—Samuel—who is quietly and faithfully serving the Lord (vv. 11, 18-21, 26). And then there is that more ultimate promise that God will “raise up for myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in my heart and mind” (v. 35), reminding us that even in the dark moments of our lives, we still have Christ, our “faithful high priest” who makes “atonement for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:17).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
There are two equally inappropriate responses to the sin we see in ourselves and in our spiritual leaders. One is, like Eli, to turn a blind eye to it. The other is to fall into despair, believing that even God cannot rescue us from such a desperate situation. Today's passage turns us from both paths and offers a third option: confess and rebuke sin, and also trust in God's redemption. Spend time today confessing your sins and also praying for God's care over the leaders in your own church.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 3:1-4:1a
The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. - 1 Samuel 3:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the field of combat, any soldier knows the importance of a properly working communication system. With it, soldiers receive the necessary instructions for deployment and military strategy. A malfunctioning radio can create hesitation, delay, and potential danger. Being able to receive the commanding officer's words of instruction could mean the difference between life and death.

The same is true for God's people receiving God's word. Israel's preceding history demonstrates this truth. The book of Judges describes the repeated sinfulness of the people, declaring that “everyone did as he saw fit” (17:6; 21:25). Following the period of the judges, 1 Samuel 2 highlights the corruption of the spiritual leadership as well. Our text today indicates the reason: “In those days the word of the Lord was rare” (3:1). When the gift of God's word is absent, the people suffer; where God's word comes forth, there is blessing. Amos 8:11 declares that the greatest famine any people face is “a famine of hearing the words of the Lord” (8:11).

Fortunately, God does not leave His people to such famines. Note two things that we learn about God and His word from today's passage. First, God is patient and persistent in bringing His word to His people. He must call Samuel four separate times before He gets the proper response (3:2-10). Second, although God's word is necessary for spiritual health and renewal, sometimes it is a difficult word about sin and disobedience (3:11-18). The true gospel of Christ is not just a message of love and forgiveness, but first a message about our own sin. We must learn to receive all of God's word.

Through Samuel, God patiently delivered His difficult but saving word to His people. What began with the rarity of God's word now ends with a new era where a faithful God brings forth His word “to all Israel” (4:1). And that word continues even today. Where in the past God spoke through prophets like Samuel, today “He has spoken to us by his Son” (Heb. 1:2). Are we prepared to listen?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Even today in a church-filled, Bible-filled nation, the word of God can be a rarity, not just when the word fails to be preached, but also when we refuse to listen. The psalmist warns: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (95:7-8). Have your ears perhaps become deaf to God's word through resistance or neglect? Make today the day you renew your attention to God's word, asking Him to open your ears to what He might be saying to you this month.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 4:1b-22
If my people . . . seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven. - 2 Chronicles 7:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Trends in religion may reflect the rise of popular self-help “spirituality.” One self-proclaimed neo-pagan writer, for example, suggests that charms, amulets, and talismans can help you “gain more self-assurance, power, and control over every aspect of your life.” Most Christians know to avoid such practices, but other ways to replace God with a subtle version of lucky charms may appear. In some instances, as in today's reading, a good luck charm can even appear under the guise of fervent piety.

Israel had just suffered defeat at the hands of the Philistines and now wondered why. Rather than turn to God in prayer, repentance, and covenant renewal (cf. Deut. 29:25), Israel chose another course: bring out the ark of the covenant “so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies” (v. 3). True, the ark was the sign of God's presence and victory over enemies (Ex. 25:10-22; Num. 10:35). And true, the ark had gone before Israel when they entered the Promised Land, crossing the Jordan (see Joshua 3-4). From one perspective, this looks like a faithful recovery of the centrality of God in Israel.

Yet, underlying their actions, Israel was operating on the false assumption that they could force God's hand. Surely God would save them rather than suffer defeat and the shaming of His name! The ark had become a pious version of a superstitious lucky charm, what one scholar calls a “rabbit-foot theology.”

Observe the consequences of Israel's poor theology: another terrible defeat and the death of 30,000 soldiers, Eli's sons, Eli himself, and Eli's daughter-in-law. But at center stage is the ark's capture, mentioned seven different times in just eleven verses (vv. 11-22). The greatest tragedy of this brief episode was not military defeat, but the departure of God Himself from Israel. The lesson is an important one: our holy and powerful God is not some useful amulet for our well-being, but a Lord who calls us to blessing through repentance and humble obedience.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Through today's reading you may have realized ways, even seemingly pious ways, in which you have been trying to force God's hand. Perhaps you have been using certain prayer “techniques,” church attendance, or even service projects as a means of bartering with God or forcing Him to act for your benefit. Make a list of such misguided attitudes or practices in your life and seek God's forgiveness. Then ask God to show you ways to love and worship Him without trying to manipulate Him for your own personal gain.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 14:1-31
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. - Hebrews 4:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
When Dr. James Dobson's book, The Strong-Willed Child, first hit bookshelves, it triggered quite a bit of controversy. Many people embraced his views on child discipline, while others denounced his advice as too forceful. But one thing about the book has been greeted with almost universal acceptance: the title. Anyone who has ever engaged in a stare-down with a belligerent four-year-old who won't take “no” for an answer (or thinks it is the only answer) knows all too vividly what a strong-willed child is like.

That may be one reason why “Pharaoh” never caught on as a popular name for a baby. The Pharaoh in today's passage was the definition of a strong-willed person. In fact, the Hebrew phrase translated “harden his heart” in Exodus literally means to strengthen the will. That can be a helpful distinction in understanding yet another controversy: the idea of God intentionally hardening Pharaoh's heart.

God didn't change Pharaoh's heart from pliable to hard. He merely strengthened the resolve of a man who already stood in direct opposition to the will of God. He didn't flip a switch that turned Pharaoh into an enemy—the presence of God triggered a reaction in Pharaoh that intensified his resistance against Yahweh. God's brand of corporal punishment never persuaded Pharaoh to submit to the Lord's rule. Even the death of his own son could not stop him from opposing the Israelites.

So strong was the will of Pharaoh and the entire Egyptian army (v. 17) that they stampeded into an obviously dangerous situation. It was no longer simply a matter of resisting the commands of God. Walking between two walls of water with no means of support would require any person, Egyptian or Israelite, to exercise considerable faith. God did the convincing, and the Egyptian army marched to their doom. They turned to flee only after the gaze of God struck them with panic (v. 24). The will of Pharaoh and his army had finally been broken, but it was too late. In their foolish demise, God was glorified (v. 31).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
You may be feeling confident that the story about Pharaoh doesn't apply to you. But if you resist God in any area of life, you're entering dangerously similar territory. You may find that the more you hear God convict you—whether through His Word, the prodding of the Spirit, or the advice of godly friends—the more intently you refuse to listen. Guard against that by seeking out Scripture that challenges you, praying for conviction, and asking your trusted friends for honest, constructive criticism.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 17:1-50
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. - Psalm 20:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
The 1985 Villanova Wildcats upended the defending champion Georgetown Hoyas to win the men's NCAA basketball championship. The 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey squad defeated the mighty Soviet Union team and went on to win the gold medal. The 2007 New York Giants surprised many with their Superbowl victory over the undefeated New England Patriots. All of these competitions have been compared to the most frequently used Bible illustration in sports—David's defeat of Goliath.

Like their biblical counterpart, these athletic “Goliaths” had tremendous confidence in their own power and skills. In life, just as in sports, overconfidence can be costly.

Goliath had every earthly reason to be confident. Interpretations vary among Bible scholars as to Goliath's actual height, anywhere from six feet six inches to almost ten feet tall. His armor may have weighed twice as much as David, and his spearhead alone was as heavy as a bowling ball. He was a large man, but after falling flat on the ground his statistics became moot. It was the condition of his heart that made him so different from David.

Our attention usually turns to David in this passage because his courage and valor inspire us. But if it weren't for his faith in God, and the fact that he acknowledged the victory was God's to win, David would have been no different from Goliath. He would be another defiant competitor proclaiming his own success.

Goliath turned out to be just that. He repeatedly defied Israel, and therefore God, with his arrogant taunting. He was daring them to attack him, striking fear into all but one of the Israelites. We can learn a lot from David's example of courageous reaction. But we should be clear about what transpired in this battle. Goliath wasn't defeated by a shepherd boy with a sling; he was defeated by an Almighty God with a faithful servant.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Even someone on the Lord's side can make the Goliath-sized mistake of arrogance. God equips us all with gifts and talents, but we misappropriate the glory when we admire them as our own. Make a list of the enemies, obstacles, and challenges you face in life, everything from national issues to personal matters. Acknowledge to God that you are relying on Him for victory in each of those areas—then ask Him to use you and your gifts to win the battle.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 8:1-22
You are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness. - Romans 6:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command in Genesis 3, the root of their sin was idolatry. Eve was led to believe that God's terms of leadership were unfair, that perhaps God did not have her best interest in mind, or even that God is a liar. The serpent promised godlike wisdom—if she would only cast off God's rule and choose her own destiny. Adam and Eve's fateful choice in the garden led only to shame, banishment, and a life of struggle and toil.

Some things never change. Most sin finds its root in idolatry, and idolatry always promises much but ends in enslavement. This is God's message to Israel and to us today. First Samuel 8 opens with a shocking problem: although Samuel was a good judge (7:15-16), his sons were not (vv. 1-3). The elders of Israel came to Samuel with a petition: they want a king. What seems like an innocuous request, upon closer examination, is fraught with the age-old problem of idolatry.

We learn this in two ways. First, God Himself declares: “they have rejected me as their king” (v. 7). How so? Kingship per se was not a wrong idea (cf. Deut. 17:14-20), but look at the reason for Israel's request: “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and go out before us and fight our battles” (vv. 19-20). Despite God's victory over the Philistines in chapter 7, Israel wanted to replace God with something that seemed grander, more powerful, perhaps even more popular. Would we rather be “normal” in the world's eyes than faithful to God's ways?

Second, we see the true results of their idolatrous desire. Samuel's speech repeatedly stresses that a king will not liberate and empower them; it will only enslave them. A king will take their sons, daughters, money, servants, cattle, and land (vv. 10-18). This is the way of idolatry. We must serve something, either God or our own idols.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As a folk musician sang in 1979, no matter who you are “you're gonna have to serve somebody.” Whom do you serve with your time and resources? Ask God to show you any idols in your own life and to renew in you a life of love and service to God. Think of ways you can demonstrate your service to Him—such as cheerfully serving your family at home or giving your neighbor a helping hand or listening ear—and put that service into action today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 9:1-10:16
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this. - Psalm 107:1-2
TODAY IN THE WORD
Jackson Pollock, an American painter in the early twentieth century, believed the world is chaos. Dripping paint on a canvas by swinging a can from the ceiling, he attempted to demonstrate that even art is chance. The problem, as apologist Francis Schaeffer observed, is that because the universe has an inherent structure, the seemingly random paintings actually contained very ordered lines, circles, and parabolas. Even in the chaos there was order.

Saul learned a similar lesson in his encounter with Samuel. Our text begins with seemingly random events: losing donkeys, arriving in Zuph, a servant's off-hand suggestion to seek out a man of God, and the “coincidence” that Samuel just happened to be in town. We soon discover that what seems random had actually been planned by God all along. This “chance” meeting was arranged by God in order to anoint Saul as Israel's first king.

In case this was not enough, Saul was given more evidence that God was at work behind the scenes. Having been anointed by Samuel as leader of Israel, Saul was foretold that he would meet two men who explain the recovery of the donkeys, and then a group of prophets of which Saul will become a participant. Scripture tells us that God “changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day” (10:9). What an incredible gift! God precisely orchestrated Saul's calling and anointing as Israel's king, and left no room for Saul to question it. Yet look at Saul's response to God's clear calling and revelation. When asked about his encounter with Samuel, Saul remained silent about the whole matter. Instead of responding with kingly action or testifying speech to God's providential call and care, Saul pretended as if nothing had happened.

Things did not bode well for Israel and its first king, but there is a lesson here for us as well. How often do we respond like Saul, clearly seeing God's hand so graciously at work in our lives, yet saying nothing, doing little?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Psalm 107 echoes the message of today's reading, calling us to speak out God's goodness to those around us. Meditate on these words, reflecting on the specific ways God has providentially worked in your own life through seemingly random circumstances. Make it a goal this Lord's day to find a way—writing a letter, making a phone call, meeting someone for coffee—to share something of what God has shown you and done for you in His goodness and mystery.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 2:12-36
He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die. - Proverbs 19:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 2002, George W. Bush initiated the President's Corporate Fraud Task Force to investigate and prosecute white-collar crimes like money laundering, accounting fraud, and insider trading. In the first five years of its existence, the task force secured the convictions of 214 CEOs and presidents, 53 CFOs, 23 corporate counsels or attorneys, and 129 vice presidents—over 1,200 of the most powerful people in America have been imprisoned as criminals.

What causes a leader to become corrupt? One factor is contempt for his or her position of authority. When that leader is representative of God, the punishment is far worse than prison. Hophni and Phinehas treated the sacred sacrifices like their own personal barbecue. They completely ignored the Levitical guidelines for the portions of meat reserved for the priests (Lev. 7:34) and the restrictions against eating fat or blood (Lev. 3:16-17). They desecrated their roles as priests with their immorality (v. 22). Eli correctly accused them of sinning against God, and there would be no one to intercede for them (v. 25). How could anyone associated with a divinely appointed office stoop to such lows? They weren't acquainted with God in the least (v. 12).

Eli's sons thought only of themselves. We'll focus on Eli's passive approach to their wickedness later in the month, but the sons should have known better without being told. Their actions showed no respect for the sacrifices of the people or the God to whom they were sacrificing. They effectively put themselves in the place of God as the object of worship.

The judgment was appropriately harsh for Eli and his family. The Lord pronounced a shift away from the ancestral line of Levi, a transfer from the arrangement that began at the beginning of Israel's existence as a nation but in keeping with the warnings issued at the time (Num. 18:1). The Levites were responsible for sins against the priesthood, so the entire tribe suffered the consequences of Eli's sons' evil ways.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Peter calls believers members of a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5), so the question naturally arises: are we as believers ever guilty of showing contempt for our privileged position? It's a question of selfishness or selflessness. When our Christianity becomes more of a status symbol than a standard of service, we begin using our priesthood for our own benefit. The only true fix for this problem, though, isn't to increase service; it's to humbly draw closer to God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 11:1-15
Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth . . . Nothing is too hard for you. - Jeremiah 32:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
According to the first-century Jewish historian Josephus, ancient military shields covered the left eye, leaving the right eye alone to be used for battle vision. This helps explain Nahash the Ammonite's demands on the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. He would make a treaty with them on condition that he could gouge out their right eyes. Such action would not only render them utterly disgraced but also unable to fight should they consider a future rebellion.

Given the situation for Jabesh Gilead, things looked bleak. Surrounded by the cruel and arrogant Nahash, they were given seven days to find someone—anyone—who would rescue them. One can hear the detractors of the previous chapter, murmuring about Saul: “How can this fellow save us?” (10:27). Nothing we have learned about Saul so far gives us any confidence that he would, or could, do anything to save Jabesh.

Yet, as is so often the case, God chooses to act precisely in the moments that seem the most dire. The key point, easily overlooked, comes in verse 6: “the Spirit of God came upon [Saul] in power.” Now, with God working through him, Saul was stirred to action. He demonstrated surprising leadership ability, gathering all Israel together for battle, and then showed cunning and effective military strategy to produce a resounding rescue of his relatives.

For the first time, things were looking up for Israel and her new king. Most important was Saul's response to the entire incident. Rather than take credit, he gave it to God in celebration: “for this day the Lord has rescued Israel” (v. 13). Finally, after three chapters of Israelite missteps and a king who inspired no confidence, we are shown a picture of what things could be like with a God-oriented king.

The beginnings of Israel's monarchy were hopeful, but not because Israel was faithful or because Saul was a great leader. The true hope lay in God's empowering activity through Saul on behalf of His people.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
How often do we throw up our hands in despair when confronted with the seemingly impossible? Perhaps you have situations in your life right now that tempt you to give up on God: a loved one who continues to reject God's Word; a difficult coworker who shows no sign of change; a child whose behavior takes you to your limits? Let today's message sink in that without God's empowering involvement, there is no hope. But with His involvement, nothing is impossible. How will this truth change the way you live and respond?