1 Samuel 10:20-27 – Becoming God’s effective instrument

At Samuel’s summon, the people of Israel came together at Mizpah. 1 Samuel 10:20-21 describe the process they took to identify Saul. Although Samuel already anointed Saul before he departed from Ramah, these verses suggest that they cast a lot and the tribe of Benjamin was picked up. Then it was further narrowed down to the Matrite family and finally to Kish and to Saul his son, who was to be the king that they had asked for.  Interestingly, the name Saul means “asked for”. So God gave them a king whom they asked for. Ironically, they had to search for the person whom they had asked for. At first, they thought that he had not arrived and was nowhere to be found. Then they inquired of the Lord who revealed that he was hiding among some baggage.  

Here are a series of puzzling questions that any curious reader of the Bible would ask: why did Saul hide himself?” Didn’t Samuel already inform him of what would take place? Was this act an indication of his lack of trust in God? Could it be that he had a problem with self-acceptance? There could be a thousand and one reasons, and the passage didn’t show us any. Hence, we can only guess why he hid himself. It is understandable why he would feel inadequate. For such a mammoth task expected, anyone would. But the wonderful truth about God’s calling is this: when He calls us to a task, He will also empower us. Therefore as soon as we know God is behind our calling, we must confidently fulfill our assignment. He will never call us into any assignment without giving us the grace to fulfill it. In Saul’s case, we recall one time that he had already failed God. Remember the incidence where he met the garrison of Philistines at a place known as the hill of God. He was empowered with the Spirit to deal with the threatening enemy. But he didn’t. He was caught up in the emotionalism of the moment and failed to do the work he was anointed for. His conscience was probably affected by his failure and it left him mentally scarred. Thinking about the task now petrified him. So he hid himself.

Personally, we need to ask the same questions. Is there any assignment we fear to engage in? Are we hiding from our responsibility? If we are, why? Do we lack trust in God’s ability to help us in the assignment? These are questions that we need to come to terms with and then abandon ourselves to God and the works He has called us to do. If we like Saul had failed Him before, God has enough grace to help us overcome them. All that is required of us is to repent, seek His forgiveness and allow Him to change and transform us by His grace.

Continuing with the account, when Samuel pointed Saul out, the people at once was impressed with him. He was indeed taller than any of the people. They then cried, “Long live the king!” What was left for Samuel to do was to tell the people the ordinances of the kingdom, and had them written in the book and placed it before the Lord. The prophet then sent the people away and everyone returned to each his own home. Even Saul returned to his home in Gibeah. What immediately took place was that some brave men who were touched by the incidence turned to follow Saul. There were also others who despised him. And their rejection of him left an indelible mark in Saul's mind. There are truths that can be gleaned from this incidence. We must expect that some would be impressed with our calling and others would need time to accept God’s calling on our life. For those people who trust us, we must be sure not to disappoint them. We must bring our best to bear to honor their trust. For those who cannot immediately trust our leadership, we will take time to cultivate their trust. With God’s help, we learn to apply ourselves to the task and incrementally earn their confidence. Never should we despise any that cannot at first accept us. But to let it challenge us to make the effort to develop our God-given gifting and calling, and become an effective instrument for His work.                

1 Samuel 10:17-19 – Who is your king?

We have seen missed opportunities of Saul so far. He was anointed as king and foretold of three encounters he would face. They came true as he was told. But what was disappointing was his lack of ability to recognize the critical moment, seize it and make something out of it. Especially with the one pertaining to the garrison of Philistines stationed at the hill of God. When he could have told his uncle about “the mater of the kingdom,” he failed to mention it.  There is no indication of how long after this conversation that he had with his uncle before Samuel summoned for the people to gather to come together. But we guess it wasn’t too long after the conversation that the gathering took place.

So 1 Samuel 9:17 reads, “Thereafter Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah….” This was the place that Samuel had called the people together once before. More details can be found in 1 Samuel chapter 7. In the account there, we saw how God delivered them from the menacing Philistines. We saw how Samuel summoned for them to assemble at Mizpah. There they recognized their rebelliousness and confessed their sin before the Lord as Samuel prayed for them. It was then that they tasted the God-granted victory, despite the fear they had for the Philistines. Now Samuel summoned for them to gather “to the Lord” at Mizpah once again.  

Samuel’s speech recorded in verses 18-19 was firstly on the recollection of God’s great act towards them in the past. He affirmed what God had done for them in the deliverance from their bondage in Egypt. The emphasis is on how God had brought them out of their misery in Egypt. Not only that, but He had also delivered them from the nations that opposed them. There was none like Him who could deliver with such power. Here, Samuel was reassuring them that this same powerful God had the power to deliver them from the jeopardy posed by the Philistines. Secondly, Samuel revealed to them their flaw in requesting for a king like the other nations. In their request, the people had rejected God, the most powerful person as their king, and preferred someone lesser to rule over them. How foolish and crazy could they get?  

What’s terrible about their request was the fact that they no longer wanted to be God’s special people. They wanted to be like all the other nations.  The people were unaware of the impending dangers that awaited them as they come away from the covering of God’s reign over them. We need to learn from the folly of the people of Israel and not make the mistake that they had made. The Sovereign King who rules our life is none other than Jesus Christ. We must choose to remain under His reign all the days of our lives. Under His wings, we will always be protected. He wants to guide us on the journey of life so that we may attain the very best He intends for us. Stay faithful under His reign and experience His goodness!  

1 Samuel 10:14-16 – The matter of the Kingdom

First Samuel 10:14 introduces us to one of Saul’s uncle, whose name was not mentioned. It’s not clear whether this uncle knew that his brother Kish had sent Saul, his own son to look for his lost donkeys. Hence, his question was a loaded question. He wasn’t just seeking to know about Saul’s itinerary. And the reply Saul gave was equally puzzling. He said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they could not be found, we went to Samuel.” Apparently, the uncle was more aware of Samuel. On hearing that he went to Samuel, his follow-up question was  “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”  He probably was aware of the threat of the Philistines. And he wanted to know what perspective of the prophet and hopefully his solution to the threat. But in Saul’s troubling response was his failure to mention the most important part of his adventure. He only told him about Samuel’s prediction of the recovery of donkeys.

Why didn’t he reveal to his uncle about the most crucial part of what had happened in his journey? Verse 16 said he did not tell him the matter of the kingdom which Samuel mentioned to him. He did not talk about his anointing as king. Why? Could it be that he felt guilty concerning his failure to follow God’s instructions to deal with the Philistines? Perhaps he was afraid to confront the truth of his failure. Aren’t many of us like him? We try to skirt around and avoid telling the embarrassing truth about our failure. We would rather hide than deal with it. But while we may hide truths about ourselves from man, we know that nothing is hidden from the eyes of God with whom we all will have to deal with. For all our failure to follow and keep His instruction.  there’ll be a consequence.

What could be the matter of the kingdom which Saul did not tell his uncle? What could be his reason for not mentioning it? For sure, the message of the kingdom was about Saul and the kingdom he was about to be launched as the king. Remember, God had instructed Samuel to accede to the people's request to have a king appointed.  And at this point, the public proclamation of him as the king had not taken place. So far in the anointing of Saul, Samuel only mentioned the world prince, ruler, and leader but not king. Know it or not, the real message of the kingdom, whether it be Israel or us today, is about the reign of God. For us who have acknowledged the Gospel of Christ, we all have received the message of the Kingdom. It’s the message that John the Baptist came to proclaim. It’s the message that Jesus came to affirm Himself as the rightful King.

What matters for us now today is that we Christians are citizens of this Kingdom. This is the Kingdom where Christ is reigning as King in our lives. We mustn’t clamor for another king to rule in the affairs of our lives. Let us have the call of Matthew 6:33 indelibly etch in our life and mind. We are called to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. This means that Christ will always have the first claim in our lives. We will seek to know, to serve and to worship Him as King. By the help o the Holy Spirit, we will emulate the life that He has modeled of us.

1 Samuel 10:9-13 – Let’s deploy our God-endowed gift

Not a single promise of God given to us will ever return to Him void but will accomplish the purpose to which it was sent forth. Just as foretold to Saul, everything God said to him through Samuel came to pass. We would have expected Saul’s heart to change only after he encountered the third event. But no, he changed as soon as he left Samuel. God began to work in him and a radical change in him took place. God kept His Word. In a summary statement, the latter half of 1 Samuel 10:9 said, “…all those signs came about on that day.” The first two encounters, the one at Rachel’s tomb and Oak of Tabor, were not mentioned. But in verse 10, the encounter with the prophets was recounted. It was this third encounter that was telling. Here in this encounter some things Samuel said earlier were omitted. Saul prophesied among them when the Spirit of God came upon him. Here in verse 1o there was no mention of the garrison of the Philistines. Earlier Saul was told that he should do as the occasion requires as soon as the Spirit of God came upon him. This suggests that he should do something to the Philistines. His empowerment was meant for a purpose i.e. to launch an attack on the enemy and to get rid of them by God’s power. Saul had failed to focus on the crucial matter which the anointing had required him to do.

Saul was nonchalant to what was required of him. Instead, he was caught up with prophesying till the people who knew him saw the change. So they exclaimed, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” How else could they respond since they were totally unaware of his meet up with Samuel? Instead of seeing Saul do something to the Philistines, we were only told of how caught up he was with prophesying. It would be remarkably different if he acted as the occasion called for and destroyed the garrison of the Philistines there, but he didn’t. This was not what God nor  Samuel had expected. When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place. The threat of the Philistines was ignored.

What do we make out of all these? The crux of the Spirit of God coming upon him was to enable him to deal with the threat of the Philistines that was looming large. Saul had failed to recognize the purpose of why he was empowered by the Spirit of God. Instead of fulfilling the task of getting rid of the enemy he was caught up in the emotionalism of the moment. We too have been endowed with spiritual gifts. It matters what we do with the gifts. They are given to us not to allow us to have a great experience but for the edification of the church. We are gifted so that we can help to build the fellowship. Many today, like Saul, are enjoying God’s endowed gifts but fail to deploy them to serve His purpose for the church. We must deploy our God-given gifts. Don’t fail to use it for the purpose God has intended the gift for. Be discerning and actively participate in Kingdom building. Don’t remain just an emotional spectator!  

1 Samuel 10:1-8 – God will empower us for service

When the servant had departed, Samuel took a flask of oil and anointed Saul. As he did so, he kissed him and made known God’s word to him saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?” The assignment that God gave to Samuel to do in 1 Samuel 9:16 reads, “…and you shall anoint him (Saul) to be prince over My people Israel….” But in 1 Samuel 10:1, the prophet’s words to Saul were, “Has not the Lord anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?” Notice the change in two words. In place of the word “prince” he used “ruler”, and for the “people of Israel” Samuel used the word, “inheritance.” The word ruler suggests a softer tone to the word prince. And the word “inheritance” speaks of their unique relationship with God. The choice of the words suggests that while the people had rejected God as their ruler, He had not yet given up on His claim on them. Like the people of Israel, we too are more than just a group of people but are His own acquisition. God owns us because we are His possession and inheritance.  He has every right over our lives, and we must yield to His dealing so that we can better reflect His glory.

Besides the words, Samuel also predicted three things that would take place as he made his journey back to his father. More than anything, the prediction was to show Saul all that had happened to him and what would soon take place were all under the watchful eye of God. And for us, like Saul, nothing happens to us outside of God’s watchful eye over us. Hence, we must learn to be sensitive to God’s leading and discern His guidance above all the noises and activities that come our way.  

The first event Saul would encounter would take place at Rachel’s tomb.  Two men whom he would meet would tell him that the father’s donkeys had been found. And the father was more concerned about him and his whereabouts. The second event would take place at the Oak of Tabor. Saul would meet three men going to God in Bethel. One of them would be carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine. And when they greet him, the one carrying the bread would give him two loaves of the bread he was carrying. He was to receive them from him for God was making provision for him, to enable him to do the work he was called to do.

The third event took place at the hill of God, where a garrison of Philistines would be stationed. The presence of the Philistines suggests the threat that was looming large. The prediction also told him what would happen when he entered the city. He was told that “… as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre before them, and they will be prophesying. Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man. It shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what the occasion requires, for God is with you. And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you should do.” This would be the most significant of the three predictions. Here Saul was told two things: after the Spirit had come upon him, he would be changed into another man. He would first have to do what God had set for him to do with the Philistines, meaning to deal with them.  Secondly, he was to go to Gilgal and wait for seven days for Samuel to come and offer the burnt offering and sacrifice of peace-offering.  

Just as He empowered Saul, God will never leave us to do anything without empowering us. He will not keep us in a lurk concerning His assignments to us. But we will have to stay alert and be receptive to His guidance and direction. What God announces, He will surely bring it to pass. What is required of us is to obediently finish what we must do.  So be alert, lean on God and diligently fulfill our God-given assignment.        

1 Samuel 9:22-27 – God has a personal word for us

Samuel took both Saul and his servant and brought them to the hall and had Saul sat at the head of the table. Thirty others were invited and were also seated at the table.  Saul must have been surprised by that honor. He couldn’t have expected that he would be the guest of honor. Samuel who had pre-arranged for a portion to be set aside for this moment instructed the cook to bring that portion out. And Samuel said, “See, what was kept is set before you. Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed, that you might eat with the guests.”

After the meal, they returned to the city from the high place, and went up to the roof, presumably at Samuel’s house, and they spoke for a while. We were not told what the content of the conversation was. Then Samuel slept for the night. In the morning the prophet woke Saul up in order to send him on the way. As the gracious host, he walked Saul to the outskirt of the city then told him to send his servant ahead so that he could proclaim the word of God to him. The word of God he was about to proclaim to Saul would forever change the course of his life and ministry. It would also alter the destiny of the nation of Israel. God had a word for Saul. Through Jesus, God also has a word for us every moment in our lives. Will we stay still to listen?  

Let us pause here and think about God’s Word. We all must have already known that the God we worship and serve is one who speaks. It was His word that brought about the creation. Everything came into being at His spoken Word. We are reminded by the Apostle John in the Gospel that the eternal Word became the living Word and dwell among us in flesh. The author of the letter to the Hebrews tells us that God had spoken through the prophets in various ways at various times. But in this final dispensation, God is speaking to us through His only Son. When God speaks, we must listen. It is foolishness not to pay attention to God’s Word. Here’s a timely advice from our Lord concerning being obedient to God’s Word. “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” God has been speaking to us and will continue to speak to us. So let’s pay attention and act on His Word! 

1 Samuel 9:15-21 – God qualifies our call

Talking about divine coincidence, we can now be certain that God was orchestrating the whole event. From the lost donkeys of Kish to the journey of Saul through Shalishah, Shaalim, and Zuph. Even the initiative of the servant and the encounter with the young women at the well were all working at the behest of God. Yes, even the seemingly chance meeting that Samuel and Saul met on the way up to the sacrifice in verse 14. Nothing was incidental. Everything was divinely intentional.  

First Samuel 9:15-16 narrate to us what happened the day before Samuel met Saul. God specifically told the prophet that “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin and you shall anoint him to be prince over My people Israel; and he will deliver My people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have regarded My people, because their cry has come to Me.” This underscores the fact that God will reveal to His servant the plan He has, to accomplish His will. It underscores for us His people to learn to discern the working of God from the host of activities that we encounter ad nauseum in life. The key reason God was sending Saul to them was not so much because they needed a king but because God had regard for their needs. It could be that the people were more concerned with the constant threats coming from the Philistines.   

When Samuel set his eye on Saul, immediately the Lord confirmed that Saul was the Benjamite He was talking about. Saul, of course, had no idea who Samuel was. How could he if he didn’t even know that there was a seer among them until his servant revealed it to him.  So, he approached Samuel asking, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” And the response he got was, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is on your mind. As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?” 

We can detect in Samuel’s tone a tint of sarcasm. The people had demanded a king and Saul had no awareness of it. He must have been quite puzzled by Samuel’s words. He knew about the father’s lost donkeys but was totally lost with the part that said, “And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?” Bewildered by what Samuel said Saul responded by saying, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?” He was obviously unaware and must be wondering why Samuel spoke like that to him. His perplexing words made no sense to Saul. He must have wondered what was happening. He knew he hailed from an insignificant tribe, so how could he be destined for such a position.  

This account tells us that our calling by God has nothing to do with our qualification. Our qualification has nothing to merit God’s acceptance. None of us had anything spiritually outstanding that can commend us to God. Paul said that it is by grace alone and not works, lest anyone should boast. We should instead give thanks to God that though we are nothing, He made something beautiful out of our life.    

1 Samuel 9:11-14 – Divine co-incidence

At the coaxing of his servant, Saul then decided to go and see Samuel the seer. Together, they made their way, presumably toward Ramah. This was the place where Samuel would return to from his circuit around the territory to deal with the needs of the people. Verse 11 tells us that “As they went up the slope to the city, they found young women going out to draw water....” There are several accounts given in Scriptures of a man meeting with young women at a well and how situations were significantly shifted. We think of how Eleazar, Abraham’s servant met Rebecca at the well and found a bride for Isaac. In Genesis 29, we read of the account of how Jacob met Rachel, the love of his life at the well. We saw how God engineered his first meeting and that forever altered the course of his life. What about Moses who met his wife Zipporah at the well and became Jethro’s son-in-law? The greatest drama was Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well at Sychar, recorded in John 4. That incident had dramatically transformed the life of the woman and many men of the city forever. So now here we see Saul meeting with some young women at the well. Here he received direction to where Samuel was. And that meeting would soon become the defining moment of his life. What all these encounters tell us is that they did not happen coincidentally. God divinely arranged each one to set the course for the accomplishment of His purpose and plan.

The obvious question was asked by Saul. He inquired of the young ladies, “Is the seer here?” The response of the ladies tells us that timing was perfect. If God had not arranged for all these to happen the way it had happened, how could the meeting between Samuel and Saul be so perfect? Samuel was coming and there was a sacrifice scheduled that day. Saul, of course, had no awareness of what’s happening. So we read in verse 13 the direction of the ladies saying, “As soon as you enter the city you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now, therefore, go up for you will find him at once.” Notice the focus of the direction was on Samuel, the seer. The few significant words are “invited” and “at once.” It suggests to us that only those invited could partake of the sacrifice. It appears that Samuel had called for a momentous meeting and Saul, one of the key players must be present. And his invitation was given indirectly through bizarre circumstances. Had Kish not lost some of his donkeys, would his son Saul be at Ramah for this moment? Without a doubt, the unseen hand of God was working, designing a divine coincidence. Verse 14 appears to tell us that both Samuel and Saul met on the way up to the high place where the sacrifice would be conducted.

For us Christians, there can only be “divine coincidence.” Why? It’s because God is all the time engineering our path to guide us towards His perfect plan for us. Romans 8:28 says so. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Remember nothing happens to us by chance, only “divine coincidence”!

    

1 Samuel 9:3-10 – The need to have grit

Remember that the people of Israel had just asked for a king like all the other nations. Samuel was told to accede to their request. Then 1 Samuel 9:1-2 introduce us to Saul and his ancestry. Humanly speaking, Saul was a good fit to be the king. In order to be appointed as king, Samuel must be able to meet Saul from among the many people of Israel. It would, therefore, be natural for 1 Samuel 9:3-10 to describe how the two met. We can safely conclude that the Sovereign Lord had engineered the circumstances for the two to meet.  

As providence would have it, Kish the father of Saul lost some donkeys. So, he said to Saul, “Take now with you one of the servants, and arise, go search for the donkeys.” So far in the book of Samuel, we have met with two sets of fathers and sons: Eli and his sons, and Samuel and his sons. Now we see a third pair, Kish and his son, Saul. We can see that Saul was a son who had the father’s interest at heart. This was attested to in verse 5. He and his servant went a looking for his father’s donkeys. They passed through several places such as Shalishah and Shaalim but the donkeys were not there. These seem to suggest that they had been away for a while. So, when they came to Zuph, Saul decided that they should all return for he did not want the father to worry about them.  His servant then took the initiative and told him about Samuel saying,  “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; all that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.” 

What’s surprising in this account is that Saul had no awareness of Samuel. Surprisingly, it was his servant who was more aware than he and suggested that they should go and consult Samuel. Here we are told that in those days, the prophet was known as the seer. Saul was at first reluctant, saying that they had nothing to present to the seer when they went to consult him. The servant then offered a fourth of a shekel of silver he had, to be given to the seer. The crux of the matter is this: their search of the donkeys turned out to be a search for the word of God, though it might seem incidental. It was not Saul who had initiated it but the servant. Had it not been for the coaxing of the servant he would not have gone to see Samuel. In this account, we see that Saul was one who would rather listen to others than to make his own decision. These are subtle hints that his disposition lacked the resilience that would be required of a future king. This account indicates to us that a person’s outward disposition is not as critical as his resilience if he wants to be effective.  Every one of us needs to cultivate the spirit of hardiness and fortitude in advancing God’s cause.

1 Samuel 9:1-2 – Fit for leadership

Having told by the Lord to accede to the people’s request for a king, Samuel sent the people home. He did not act on the matter immediately. It took a while before he appointed a king for them. The reason is obvious. For so important a task, preparation was required. It is needful that the right candidate is selected. The account of appointing a king would take us from 1 Samuel 9 all the way to chapter 12. Who would that king be? What would the appointment of a king mean for the future of Israel?

It was under very unusual circumstances that Samuel met Saul, the man who was appointed a king. The first two verses of 1 Samuel 9 provide some information on Saul’s lineage. Verse 1 introduces us to Kish, who was a wealthy man from the tribe of Benjamin. We are also introduced to his ancestors, Abiel, Zeror, Becorath, and Aphiah. Although these verses briefly share about Saul’s ancestry, the focal point is Saul. Verse 2 tells us that “He … was a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.” What is the meaning of his name? Saul means “to ask for”. Just like Samuel, Saul was also asked for. Samuel was asked for by Hannah, his mother. But Saul was asked for by the people of Israel. Then we are told that he was a handsome young man, probably the best of Israel at this point. He was not only handsome but also taller than most young men.    

Choosing a leader is something important and ought not to be done flippantly. That was probably why it took Samuel some time to prepare. The pedigree of Saul tells us that he not only had a wealthy father but that he was also a choice man. Socially, his family had some status in society and physically he was impressive. Saul was described as handsome and tall, one who was somewhat outstanding. While all these may seem important in choosing someone for leadership, what is more critical is a person’s sensitivity to God. While the outward appearance of a person for leadership does play a part, ultimately it would be his spirituality that would determine his effectiveness. These are a good introduction for a man who would be made the first king of Israel. However, there is still much to know about Saul. It tells us how important it is to choose the right leader to be effective.   

1 Samuel 8:19-22 – Be determined not to disobey God

Determination is a vital ingredient to any accomplishment. We need it to help us endure any worthwhile endeavor to the very end. It will help us to stay true to a task even when we are confronted by hardship. But when we apply determination to do something God has warned us about, we are being stubborn. If despite God’s cautioning against something, yet we insistently persist in doing it, we are being stubborn.  That can spell danger for us. By being self-absorbed despite God’s warning, we will find ourselves heading into a collision course with God.

This was what happened to the people of Israel. They wanted a king like all the other nations despite God’s warning concerning what they would have to endure under that king. They refused to listen to Samuel and stubbornly insisted on having a king. They wanted a king to judge them and to go and fight their battles. What do all these tell us about them? By not listening to the coaxing of Samuel, they were turning down the leadership of God. They refused to fulfill their responsibility as God’s covenant people to do their part, and would rather have a king do their bidding. Samuel relayed what they insisted to the Lord, and was told to listen to their voice and appoint them a king.  

How foolish could they be? They failed to see that all these while God was fighting for them. So since they insist, Samuel at God’s direction did not resist. Notice this time, Samuel did not pray for them. The irony is this: they refused to listen to Samuel’s voice but instead Samuel had to give in to their demands. Their desire had prevailed over that of the prophet. They could not for a moment imagine the devastating consequence that awaited them. So, Samuel sent them home.

If we do not cultivate an ear to listen to God, we can allow our propensity to dictate in life. We should be determined by being adamant about obeying God. The place to begin is a firm commitment to seek to know God’s word and to unwaveringly obey it. We must learn to evaluate our decision in life in the light of what God is saying in His Word. If the things we want to do go against the principle of God’s Word, we must not stubbornly insist on doing it. Responsible living demands that we obey God resolutely.     

1 Samuel 8:10-18 - Count the Cost

Did the request for a king by the people of Israel come as a surprise to God? Of course not! For long before this happens, God already saw it coming. So in Deuteronomy 17: 14-17 He said this to them, “When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, and you possess it and live in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.”

So, in 1 Samuel 8, the moment God had predicted, arrived. Just as He had expected, the people came to Samuel asking for a king so that they could be like all the other nations. The prophet considered their request as an indication that they were rejecting him as their leader. God assured him that they were not. And instead told Samuel that they were, in fact, rejecting the arrangement He Himself had made for them. In asking for a king like the other nations, they were really renouncing their status as God’s covenant people and were rejecting God’s rulership in their lives. Samuel then went ahead and warned them about what it would be like under an earthly king. Verses 11-17 warned of what would become of their sons, daughters, and property. God wanted them to know the high cost of having a  king. Up till now, God would come to their rescue whenever they called out to Him. But the privilege would change drastically. When their king had been installed, they should not expect that God would hear their cry for help as readily.

The lesson from these verses is more than just about choosing a king. It has to do with attaining a fruitful and fulfilling life. It is about the willingness to be led and guided by God. He had drawn us to Himself and He wants to walk with us so that He can help us fulfill His plan and purpose in us. Following God often means that we will have to submit to Him and go against our stubborn ingrained nature. This calls for discipline. But humanly speaking, we would much prefer an easier way, someone to do the work for us and something less demanding to the flesh. But like it or not, though they may be less punishing, they cannot bring the best out of us. This is where we need to choose. Do we want a more comfortable life and forfeit the greater blessings a disciplined life will bring? Or do we prefer to live with ease now and fail to attain our maximum potential? Worldly leadership may bring us immediate gain but does not consider long-term pain. God’s leadership may not give us an immediate gain but we will definitely avoid long-term pain. We need to count the cost. Choose wisely and go for God’s best!     

1 Samuel 8:4-9 – Accepting the reign of God in life

The people came to Samuel in Ramah to ask for a king. Why? It was because Samuel was getting old. This probably had made him less agile and energetic. To help him with his task, he had appointed his two sons, Joel and Abijah. They were appointed as judges in Beersheba located in the south. Unfortunately, the two sons, like Eli’s sons, were abusing their position and misbehaving themselves. So, verse 5 tells us that they all came to Samuel in Ramah saying, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” 

What’s wrong with their request? It seems logical right? After all, Samuel was physically not as mobile as he was when he was younger. And his two sons whom he had appointed to assist him were conducting themselves in such a way that they have given cause for the elders to be concerned. But their solution to the situation was flawed. They failed to see two things in their request. In asking for a king, they were first abandoning the leadership of the Lord over them. And secondly, they were asking to be like the nations surrounding them. They were in effect requesting an arrangement like all the other nations. In so doing, they had overlooked the fact that it was God who had drawn them to Himself. They were God’s covenanted people. It was God who had made them His special people. So, they belonged to Him and was His treasured possession. Hence, their leadership should come from God.

Verse 6 reveals that Samuel was displeased with their request. Instead of giving them a reply immediately, he prayed to God. Why was Samuel displeased? It’s because he read it as if they were rejecting his leadership. But they were not. This was revealed in the way the Lord responded to their request. He told Samuel saying, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.”

So, Samuel was told to give in to their request but he was to warn them about the consequence of their choice. Like the Israelites, we need to know that while we have the freedom to select our choice, we have no freedom to select the result of our choice. This should alert us to make our choices carefully. Who do we want to be the ruler of our life? This is a decision we cannot afford to be wrong. We are reminded in Matthew 6:33 to seek first the Kingdom of God. To seek the Kingdom of God is to have King Jesus rule over us, for the Kingdom of God is within us. Today, let us make it our daily decision to choose Jesus and allow Him to reign in all the circumstances of our lives. When we do so, we will discover that it’s a decision that won’t be wrong. Be sure to make Him your King!       

1 Samuel 8:1-3 – Be sure to cultivate a godly posterity

Israel as a nation enjoyed a period of peace with Samuel’s leadership. It was so different from the time when Eli was leading. With Samuel as the judge, they would go to him to seek guidance or to settle any dispute. They felt secure with him at the helm. So, they existed peacefully for many years. Now Samuel was getting old and there was a sense of unsettled feeling among the people. While having an old leader has its advantages, one cannot deny that there will also be disadvantages. An older leader brings into the situation his experience and wisdom, but he would be less agile and will come to the task with less energy. Besides being slower, he could also suffer the banes of old age such as a weakening body, pains and aches in certain areas of his body, and etc.

Perhaps to compensate for his old age, Samuel appointed his two sons to help him with the task. The names of his two sons were Joel and Abijah. He made them judges at Beersheba. They shared in the responsibilities of the father. Sadly, we see in the situation what we saw in Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. But unlike Eli’s situation, Samuel's two sons were leading in Beersheba in the south and away from Samuel in Ramah. Hence they were away from his direct supervision and scrutiny.  Whereas Eli and his two sons were serving together in Shiloh under the father’s direct supervision. Samuel probably wanted to ensure that the people in the south could have justice. It was a case of ensuring justice for the land. What’s uncomfortable to read is in verse 3 where it says, “His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.” Like the sons of Eli, the sons of Samuel also perverted justice. The one thing that leaders are constantly exposed to is bribery and abuse of position. Joel and Abijah seemed to have committed those grievous mistakes. They did not walk in the same integrity that saw Samuel their father became the great leader that he was.  

Lesson for us: we need to know that godly fathers do not necessarily mean that they will have godly children. We saw this in the lives of Moses, Aaron, and Eli, and now we see it in Samuel. But godly children can be cultivated. If there is an important task that every parent must do is to ensure that their sons and daughters are grounded in the foundation of walking in integrity before the Lord. We cannot discount the fact that all of us will grow old one day. So, we must leave for them a rich legacy that will help them to continue to walk in godliness. We can do so by making sure that we ourselves are living rightly before God, and is habitually loving His words and obediently walking in His ways. Then inculcate these values in the children from young and pray for them to love and obey God all their days.

1 Samuel 7:13-17 – Making a difference with God

Nothing happens to God’s children outside of His plan. Everything happens to us so that God can fulfill His purpose in us. Whether we have a congenial or a non-congenial experience, it is God using those circumstances to shape and hone us. What the children of Israel had experienced was God giving them a wake-up call. It was to stimulate them to realize how far they had departed from the covenant relationship with Him. So, the hostility of the Philistines was not for nothing. It took a long time for Israel to realize how far they had departed from God. Why? When the leadership was inept under Eli and the people had forgotten what was instructed to them, and when they chose to adopt the gods of the land. Now, Samuel the new leader had emerged. He was a praying man, a great intercessor. God raised Him up to get His people into the position He all along had for them.  

Under Samuel’s leadership, Israel once again experienced peace. We read that the Philistines were subdued and they did not come and trouble them. The word made it clear that it was the hand of the Lord that was against them. In other words, It was God who had given His people the victory. Israel was able to reclaim all that the Philistines had taken from them, from Ekron to Gath. Not only were the Philistines subdued, but the native people of Canaan, the Amorites, also stopped being a menace to them. It was a case where the people could see that God was on Israel’s side. And when that happened, no one could mess around with them and expect to remain undealt with by God. With God on their side, Israel had the supremacy. This is always the case. With God, we will always be the majority. God had done a great thing in their midst and they no longer needed to walk with their heads hanging down.  

With Samuel on the helm, Israel returned to where God intended them to be. So verses  15-17 say,  ^“Now Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.  He used to go annually on circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. Then his return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and he built there an altar to the Lord.” Samuel led them in the way of righteousness. In him we see the kind of leader we need, to get us intact. And Israel must be thankful that God gave them a Samuel. He was the glue that helped put everything together. For us who are in leadership, the life of Samuel and the way he went about his life is worthy of our emulation. If we want an effective life, a right relationship with God must be our pursuit. As leaders, we must guide the people in that pursuit. Like Samuel, let us stay sensitive to God and be relevant to the people of God. Only then can we guide them into a fruitful relationship with God.      

1 Samuel 7:7-12 – A stable faith is developed through testing

The people of Israel had repented. Their relationship with God restored. Life with God is never static. It’s a dynamic process where God constantly allows us to encounter tough moments so that our faith in Him can be developed. God knows that an untested faith is an unstable faith. It is in the turmoil of daily living that faith in God is best cultivated. Our abiding faith can become the anchor for our life. So once again the people of Israel found themselves returning to precisely where they were 20 years earlier. Once again, they came face to face with the hostility of the Philistines. However, the good news is that the result this time would be very different.

The Philistines returned to harass the people of Israel. Learning that they had gathered in Mizpah, the enemy came with malicious intent against them. Having been through much, it was natural for the Israelites to be afraid. Previously, when Eli was at the helm they did not have the trepidation. At that time, they had presumed on God and took Him for granted. Now they were not so cocksure, so they were afraid. They dared not presume on God this time. So, they turned to Samuel saying, “Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” In reality, the people had turned to God.  

Remember things were quite different then. Without consulting God, they took the Ark and went out in battle with the Philistines. The had presumed on their covenant relationship with God. This time with humility, they turned to God through Samuel, who began by offering a sacrifice to the Lord. He took  “a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the Lord”.  Samuel prayed to God on their behalf. God then answered hi sprayer like he answered the prayer of Hannah, Samuel’s mother.  So, Israel was delivered.   

Verses 10-11 tell us how God fought for them. As “Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them so that they were routed before Israel. The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below Beth-car.” The victory Israel experienced was God’s doing.  This time it was the Philistines who had to flee. So, Samuel set up a memorial that day to commemorate the victory. He set a stone between Mizpah and Shen and called it Ebenezer, meaning “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” 

Every victory has a lesson to teach us. We should learn to build memorials to recall how God had brought us through. In recalling our victory, we engender our courage to move forward. Besides, it will help us not to forget the God who has helped to see us through. In so doing, we build a life of thanksgiving for His unwavering help. Every victory today stabilizes our trust. We must never forget how God had taken us through every moment in life. We do so by constantly giving thanks. This we must do!   

    

1 Samuel 7:5-6 – Be an intercessor today

The people of Israel repented after twenty years. They put away the idols and turned to the Lord with their whole heart. Single-mindedly they committed themselves to Him. So, Samuel told them to gather at Mizpah, a city of Benjamin, so that he could pray for them. Samuel, at this point, was acting as their intercessor. Besides God, no one was more needed to Israel than Samuel now. They had a fractured relationship with God and for 20 years they had gone after other gods. Now they needed someone to stand in the gap for them. And Samuel was that man. He had his heart set on pleasing God and His purpose, and who would also keep a watchful eye over the people of God. How the church of God needs intercessors like him! God’s desire is for each one of us to be an intercessor for our nation.

As instructed, the people of Israel gathered at Mizpah. Verse 6 said that they “…drew water and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.”” They had repented. They showed their sincerity drawing water and fasting. The act of drawing water and fasting indicates that they were turning their back on their self-serving ways. They were willing to deny themselves. They clearly acknowledged that what happened in the last twenty years was caused by their waywardness. In acknowledging that “We have sinned against the Lord.”, they were showing that they had to stop putting themselves at the center but was instead placing God right at the throne of their lives. How needful this is. When one chooses to put oneself at the center of life, God would of necessity be placed at the peripheral. The activities of his or her life would be revolving around the self. Even if God were to speak loudly, they would be so engrossed with the self that God’s voice will be drowned by all the self-centered activities.

The last part of verse 6 summed up Samuel’s role. It says, “And Samuel judged the people of Israel at M Mizpah.” He set things right in Israel.  Where Eli the priest failed to do, Samuel picked up and made the needful amendment to please God. And fundamentally we know that he placed prayer at the core of his ministry. Will we like him make prayer an essential part of our walk with God? We pray that God will find in each one of us an interceding heart. Let not Ezekiel 22:30 where God said, “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one”, become a description of us. So, let us rise up and each take our position and be an intercessor, and be that man God is looking for and pray for our church and nation! 

1 Samuel 7:3-4 – Staying spiritually intact

The last time Samuel was referred to was in verse 1 of chapter 4, where it was said that “The word of Samuel came to all of Israel.” After that, he was not mentioned all this while when God was dealing with the people of Israel as well as the Philistines. Now in 1 Samuel 7:3, we find him speaking to the people again. This time he spoke to guide them in their return to God. This was a long twenty years since the Ark came to Kiriath-jearim. Though the word said nothing of how the people of Israel conducted their lives we can surmise from verses 1 Samuel 7:3-4. The fact that he had to tell them to remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth which they did, implied that they had engaged in idolatry during all those twenty years. How could God have blessed their lives, when they so blatantly violated His clear instruction not to have other gods before Him? The good news is that finally, after twenty years of misery they lamented after the Lord.

We need to know that shedding tears alone is not an indication of a change of heart. People do cry when they regret what they have done. The Israelites’ lament was just the first needful part of repentance. But at least they came to the realization of how far they had departed from the life that God intended for them to have. What’s encouraging was that they lamented after the lord. Sensing the moment, Samuel seized it and guided the people to true repentance. From the admonition Samuel gave them, we learn what true repentance entails.

Firstly, they must return to God. Weeping and tears of sorrow alone aren’t enough. There must be a strong resolution to come back to God. It calls for firm decisive actions to obediently come before God. Secondly, there must be the putting away of the idols. They were told to remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among them. Thirdly, there must be a redirection of one’s affection to God. This demands a commitment of one’s whole heart and mind. They must be a 180-degree turn to commit oneself to God one hundred percent.  Fourthly, there must be a willingness to serve God.

When true repentance is shown, the promises of God would be assured.  So, Samuel assured them that God will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. Verse 4 tells us saying, “So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the Lord alone.” The people followed the instructions of Samuel and took decisive actions. To stay on course with God, we must put away what is offensive to Him. There must be a radical change of heart and mind to obediently embrace the instructions of God. We don’t need twenty years of miserable life to come to the realization of how much we need Him. Every one of us should learn to keep short accounts with God and find His promises true in every situation of life. Walk gingerly before Him for He is holy!   

1 Samuel 7:1-2– Be sensitive to God’s dealing

God took His relationship with Israel seriously. All that He had set in motion in the first six chapters of 1 Samuel was to accomplish the purpose that He had for them. He not only dealt with the internal threat that would jeopardize His plan for them but also the external forces that hinder their progress. Whether it was the leadership of Israel that God had to deal with or the threat of their enemies from without, one thing was sure: He was shaping the destiny of His people. He did it for Israel His people, He will also do the same for us whom He had acquired for Himself in Christ Jesus. God wants to help us to deal with our personal propensity as well as the external threats that would jeopardize our destiny and relationship with Him.  

Interestingly, the last Samuel was mentioned was in verse 1 of chapter 4. It said, “Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel.” After that, he was absent from the accounts in chapters 4-6. During that period many things had happened. Israel lost two battles, 34,000 of their men were killed in those battles and the Ark of the LORD was captured. Hophni and Phinehas the two sons of Eli, who abused their position and the altar of God, paid dearly with their lives and died in the second battle. Eli, their father fell from his chair, broke his neck and died at the news of the capture of the Ark and the death of his two sons. The final tragedy that happened in Eli's family was the death of the wife of Phinehas, his daughter-in-law. When news of her husband's death reached her, she went into labor and gave birth to a son. In her dying breath, she managed to name her son Ichabod, meaning “where’s the glory.” Through it all, God was dealing with the leadership of Israel.

Considering what took place in the camp of the Philistines described in chapters 4-6, after they captured the Ark, we can also see the hand of God dealing with them. The head and hands of Dagon their deity were severed, leaving it with only the trunk. Their cities were inflicted with a plague of mice and the Philistines themselves were inflicted with tumors for as long as the Ark was with them. Couldn’t take the dealing of the Lord any longer, they finally got rid of the Ark by returning it to the people of Israel. Without a doubt, God was dealing with them as well.

At the end of 1 Samuel 6, we find the people of Beth-shemesh suffered a great loss. God had taken out 50,070 men including those who carelessly and irreverently looked into the Ark. They then sent a message for the people of  Kiriath-jearim to come and take the ark there. First Samuel 7:1 tells us that the people from Kiriath-jearim then came and took the Ark with them and placed it in the house of Abinadab and consecrated his son, Eleazer to keep the Ark of the LORD. The choice of Abinadab and Eleazer suggests that they were Levites, people whom God had assigned the task of handling the Ark. Verse 2 indicates that the Ark was in  Kiriath-jearim for twenty years. What’s heartening to us is that the second part of verse 2 reads, “…all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.” It was unlikely that they had been lamenting after the Lord for twenty years. It is more likely that after 20 long years they decided to return to the Lord. Because God always responds when His people return to Him in sincere repentance and contrition of heart. It couldn’t be that God would harden His heart to a repentant people. What’s disheartening in this incidence is that it took the people 2o years to come to their realization. What happened in those 20 long years? Take a lesson here. Let’s not test the patience of God. The longer we wait to return to God, the longer it would be to endure the pain of His dealings. So, call upon the Lord while He may be found. When we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. That’s a promise. So, let’s do it!     

1 Samuel 6:19-21 – Approaching God with reverence

Holiness is the very essence of God. He is holy and holiness is the embodiment of His being. Thus, it is important for us to approach Him with the utmost reverence. The things pertaining to God must be given careful regard and not be flippantly and casually handled. Regarding the holy objects of the Tabernacle, especially the Ark of the LORD, the specific instruction was that no one should look into it. We learn from Numbers 4:1-20,  that the Kohathites were assigned to carry those holy furnishings. God instructed that those furnishings, including the Ark, to be covered before the Kohathites carried them. Numbers 4:20 said that “…they shall not go in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die.” God forbade them to look at the holy objects.

First Samuel 6:19 describes how at Beth-shemesh, the Ark of the LORD that the Philistines sent back was mishandled. The people there did not follow the prescribed instructions and God’s holy Ark was not handled with due care. In other words, God’s holiness was not accorded due reverence and respect. As a result, 50,070 men were slaughtered. No doubt the judgment dealt with the people was severe. That should have signaled to them to repent before God. But obviously, they were not sensitive to God’s leading and did not do it. They, instead, responded with resignation. In their disappointment and dismay, they made a plan to detach themselves from the very presence of God represented by the Ark of the LORD. They wanted to send it away to Kiriath-jearim. So, without alerting the people there, they sent the message to them, saying  “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord; come down and take it up to you.”

What can we learn from such an incidence? There is a necessity to approach God with reverence. God wants us to relate with Him on His terms. We must not serve God with a careless, nonchalant attitude. God’s dealing should lead us to evaluate our wrong and not to detach ourselves from Him. The right thing for us to do is to accord to God the holy respect and awe due to Him. Hebrews 12:28-29 offer us this advice, “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.” Let’s make this a practice!

1 Samuel 6:13-18 – Worshipping God appropriately

Seven months had quickly elapsed since the Ark of the LORD was captured by the Philistines. For that duration, life seemed to be uneventful for the people of Israel. Everyone went back to their daily routine. So, verse 13 tells us that the people of Israel went out in the field and were reaping during the wheat harvest. They were probably not troubled by the Philistines during this period. Why? The Philistines were very likely too busy dealing with their afflictions inflicted on them by the Lord. Hence, they had no time to trouble the people of Israel. They were trying to cope with the Ark and soon found the dealing of the Lord far too hot for them to handle.

Ever since the Ark of the LORD was captured by them, they did not have any moment of ease or comfort. For they were inflicted with tumors and their cities ravaged by plagues of mice. Unable to bear the terror that seized them, they decided to return the Ark to Israel at the counsel of their priests and diviners. As we have seen in 1 Samuel 6:10-12, the Ark was being ferried to Israel on a new cart drawn by two milch cows. From the way the cows had drawn the cart toward Beth-shemesh, the lords of the Philistines who were following the movement from behind must have concluded it was truly God’s hand that was against them. Though the Word is silent about their feeling, we can imagine their “ah-ha” moment when they saw the Ark arriving at the field of a certain Joshua in Beth-shemesh. Though nothing much is said about this Joshua, he just had the same name as the one who years earlier led the Israelites into Canaan. 

So, the Ark came to Beth-shemesh into the field of Joshua. And when the Israelites lifted their eyes and saw the Ark, their hearts were gladdened. The unseen hand of God had guided the cows to pull the cart to where it stopped near a large stone. Immediately, the people of Israel broke the cart and used the wood to offer the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. Then they took down the Ark of the LORD and offered the burnt offering. This implied that they, like the Philistines, acknowledged their guilt with the five golden tumors and five golden mice.  The five lords of the Philistines from the five cities were mentioned in verses 17-18. They probably returned to their cities knowing for sure that the God of Israel must not be trifled with.

Why did the Lord choose to bring the Ark into Beth-shemesh? It's because Beth-shemesh was a Levitical town. And things pertaining to the Ark could best be dealt with by the Levites. The Lord had it all planned. But while the people of that town rejoiced at the return of the Ark, they did not act rightly. The Law stipulated that only bull should be used for a burnt offering, yet they used the two milch cows. They had acted outside of God’s stipulated way. Being excited about the things of God is one thing but true worship must be offered in accordance with His word. It is alright to get excited about the things of God but we should not mistake it for true worship. Bear in mind that true worship must be offered on God’s term and according to His Word. This is the attitude we must adopt when we come before God. Let’s worship Him honestly and sincerely. That’s the right approach to worship God.