When I think (heroically) about Samuel I always think of Samson too.Both men sought to liberate the Israelites from the Philistines. Samson by power and strength. Whereas Samuel took a different approach. He called the people to repentance and obedience. A bold move – suggesting that the peoples’ actions were responsible for their captivity. To suggest that wholeheartedly turning themselves back to the Lord would help was most certainly a risky proposition! Pretty bold. Pretty dangerous. Pretty effective!Imagine that?! Our own actions being responsible for the consequences we are living with. A word for us today too! Not to say that we are being punished FOR our sin, but that we may be being punished BY our sin. Maybe we all could use a Samuel in our lives; someone to lovingly and boldly help us see where our own knuckle-headed choices are actually creating our own misery for us.
– Brad –
