Tag Archives: Samuel

What can you find in David’s house? (1 Samuel 19:11-23), Apr 17, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Samuel 19:11-23
Set – 1 Samuel 19; Matthew 4
Go! – 1 Samuel 19; 1 Chronicles 7; Psalms 59; Matthew 4

1 Samuel 19:11-23
11 Saul dispatched some of his officers to watch David’s house so that they could kill him the next day. David’s wife Michal warned him.

Michal: If you don’t save yourself tonight, tomorrow morning you’ll be killed.

12 So Michal lowered David down through the window, and he escaped. 13 Then she laid a large idol on the bed, made it a wig of goat’s hair, and covered it with clothes. 14 When Saul’s officers came to take David to the king, she told them, “He’s sick.”

15 Hearing this report, Saul ordered his officers to return and see David for themselves. He would not be deterred.

Saul: Even if you have to carry him to me in his bed, do it so I can kill him.

16 When the officers returned, they threw back the blankets and, instead of David, they discovered the idol with its goat-hair wig in the bed. So they took Michal to Saul.

Saul (to Michal): 17 Why have you betrayed me like this, daughter, and let my enemy escape?

Michal (lying): He said to me, “Let me go. Don’t make me kill you.”

18 David fled to Samuel in Ramah, and he told him everything that had happened. Samuel took David to the town of Naioth, and they lived there.

19 Saul soon learned that David was at Naioth in Ramah, 20 so he sent officers to arrest him and bring him back. But when they came, they found a group of prophets in a prophetic trance with Samuel standing and leading them, and the Spirit of the True God entered Saul’s officers so that they, too, were caught up and prophesied.

21 When Saul heard this news, he sent other officers who were also affected in this way. He sent a third set of officers, and again, the same thing happened when they encountered Samuel and the prophets.

22 So finally Saul went, himself, to Ramah. When he arrived at the large cistern at Secu, he asked where he might find Samuel and David and was told they were at Naoith in Ramah. 23 As Saul traveled, the Spirit of God entered him, and he, too, fell into a constant prophetic trance.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Preachers preach a lot of sermons about Saul’s change of heart and his stormy relationship with David. They talk about the fact Saul never intended David to marry his daughter, Michal. He thought he ensured it would never happen by posting the unusual dowry of 100 Philistine foreskins. Saul would never have believed David would pay double the price with 200 foreskins.

We hear about My protection of David through all of Saul’s attempts to destroy David. But few ask an important question about the story of Michal’s betrayal of her father’s treachery and helping David escape his clutches. What are David and Michal doing with a life-sized idol in their home?

David let his love for Michal cloud his spiritual leadership in his home by allowing her to have the idol. Whether it belonged to her or one of her handmaids, the problem is the same. As the spiritual leader of his home, there was no place for an idol there. His children would learn about false gods from those who prayed to them, who believed in them. David created a tolerance in his household for the unholy which spread to his children and his grandchildren as seen later in the story of Israel’s kings.

I told My Moses and My children I am jealous and would not allow other gods around Me. They were to establish no idols of any kind around them. Yet here was the future king and queen with an idol close enough to use as a subterfuge for his escape. Now consider the domino affect that idol in David’s house began to have on the kingdom.

If David’s wife, Michal, would use it to disguise her husband from her father, she or others within the household no doubt kept it around as a good luck charm and told David’s children about how the idol helped him escape instead of My providence. The tolerance of the idol in the home allowed for Solomon’s tolerance of the many idols of his wives and concubines and the fact he even began to worship them at the shines on the hillsides in his later years. His son Rehoboam completely abandoned Me and worshiped pagan gods and Solomon’s officers after their rebellion set up idols in Bethel and Dan in direct violation of My commands.

You see, tolerance for the wrong things in your life can lead to disastrous results. David probably didn’t think much of the idol sitting around his house. After all, he had a heart for Me. He would not change his faith and was ready to die for Me. But those of lesser faith in his household, particularly his children and grandchildren, fell further and further from Me as the tolerance for a single idol grew to the point that shrines covered almost every hilltop across the land I had given My people.

Beware the little things you allow to creep into your life and the surroundings of your home. You never know the impact they will have on future generations. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Not just an underdog analogy (1 Samuel 17:32-51), Apr 15, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Samuel 17:32-51
Set – 1 Samuel 17; Psalms 9
Go! – 1 Samuel 17; Psalms 9; Matthew 2

1 Samuel 17:32-51
David (to Saul): 32 Don’t let anyone be frightened because of that man. I am your servant, and I will go and fight with him.

Saul: 33 Don’t be ridiculous—you can’t fight the Philistine. You’re only a youth, and he has been a warrior since his childhood. You lack age and experience.

David: 34 I work as a shepherd for my father. Whenever a lion or a bear has come and attacked one of my lambs, 35 I have gone after it and struck it down to rescue the lamb from the predator’s mouth; if it turned to attack me, I would take it by the chin, beat it, and kill it. 36 I have killed both a lion and a bear; and as your servant I will kill this uncircumcised Philistine, too, since he has dared to taunt the armies of the living God.

37 The Eternal One, who saved me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.

Saul: Go then, and may the Eternal One be with you!

38 So Saul outfitted David in the king’s own armor: a bronze helmet to protect his head and a coat of mail to protect his chest. 39 David strapped on Saul’s sword outside the armor and then discovered he could not move because he was not used to the restrictions of the weighty armor.

David: I’m not used to these things. How can I attack an enemy when I can’t even walk? So he removed every bit of Saul’s armor. He would fight the Philistine as he had fought those lions and bears.

40 He took his staff in his hand and went to the stream to choose five smooth stones, which he kept in a pouch in his shepherd’s bag. He had his sling ready as he approached the Philistine.

41 The Philistine, with his shield-bearer in front of him, came closer to David. 42 When he saw that David was only a healthy and handsome boy, Goliath’s eyes filled with contempt.

Goliath: 43 Am I a dog that you come to beat me with a stick?

And he cursed David, invoking the names of his Philistine gods.

Goliath: 44 Come here, and I will feed your flesh to the birds of the air and the wild animals of the fields.

David: 45 You come to me carrying a sword and spear and javelin as your weapons, but I come armed with the name of the Eternal One, the Commander of heavenly armies, the True God of the armies of Israel, the One you have insulted. 46 This very day, the Eternal One will give you into my hands. I will strike you down and cut off your head, and I will feed the birds of the air and the wild animals of the fields with the flesh of your Philistine warriors. Then all the land will know the True God is with Israel, 47 and all of those gathered here will know that the Eternal One does not save by sword and spear. The battle is the Eternal One’s, and He will give you into our hands.

48 When the Philistine stood up and approached, David ran toward the line of battle to meet him. 49 As quick as a flash, he reached into his bag, put a stone in his sling, and launched it at the Philistine, hitting him in the head. The stone sank deeply into his forehead, and the Philistine fell face-first onto the ground.

50 That was how David defeated the Philistine with only a sling and a single stone, striking him down, ending his life without a sword in his hand.

51 Then David ran to the Philistine and stood over his lifeless body. He pulled the man’s sword from its scabbard and finished him by cutting off his head.

When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they knew they would be next, so they ran away.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Most people know the story of David and Goliath. It has become an analogy for many underdogs in competition against a foe expected to easily win against them whether in sports, industry, or life. And it’s a great analogy. There are a few things to remember about the story, though.

Did David win the contest by his intimidation? Not a chance. David was a youth. He stood less than six feet tall and Goliath stood over nine feet tall. It’s hard for someone two-thirds your height to intimidate you by physical prowess.

Did David win by his skill? Partly, but I put him in the tribe that is noted for being able to hit a hair with a slingshot from a hundred yards. I gave him the skill. I also put the right stones in the creek and the right windage on the field of battle to assist that stone hit its mark that day.

Did David win by his trash talk and “psych” Goliath? I don’t think so. He just stated facts as he knew them and Goliath as he knew them. It’s just that David knew Me and Goliath thought he knew his gods of wood and stone. There’s not much to a god made of wood or stone. Not much they can do for you. David knew Me, so his trash talk wasn’t trash talk. David just told it like it was.

Well, the results speak for themselves. David won the battle against not just Goliath, but against the Philistine army in the field that day. With My help, his enemies saw their champion humiliated and killed within minutes and discovered they had no chance against the power wielded by those who carry out My will. The same holds true throughout the ages. It isn’t an underdog analogy. It’s the reality of a living God intervening in the lives of His children. I won’t let you suffer defeat when you obey Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The blame game continues (1 Samuel 15:10-23), Apr 14, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Samuel 15:10-23
Set – 1 Samuel 15; Matthew 1
Go! – 1 Samuel 15-16; 1 Chronicles 5; Matthew 1

1 Samuel 15:10-23
10 Then Samuel heard the voice of the Eternal.

Eternal One: 11 I regret that I made Saul king over Israel because he has turned away from Me and from executing My commands.

Samuel was distressed when he heard this, and he cried out to the Eternal One all night long.

12 Then he rose early in the morning to go and find Saul, only to hear that Saul had gone on to Carmel, where he had erected a monument to himself, and returned to Gilgal. 13 At last Samuel caught up with Saul. When Saul saw him, he greeted him as if nothing was wrong.

Saul (to Samuel): May you be blessed by the Eternal One. I have carried out His commands.

Samuel: 14 Then why do I hear the sounds of sheep and cattle?

Saul: 15 They brought the best of the Amalekites’ sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Eternal One your God. But we destroyed all the rest as we were told.

Samuel: 16 That’s enough. Stop talking, and let me tell you what the Eternal told me last night.

Saul: Go ahead, I’m listening.

Samuel: 17 Don’t you remember when you didn’t amount to much in your own sight, but you were made the leader of the tribes of Israel? Wasn’t it the Eternal One who anointed you king over them? 18 The Eternal One sent you on a mission, commanding you, “Go and destroy the Amalekites, who are sinners. Fight them until they are completely destroyed.”

19 Why didn’t you obey the voice of the Eternal One? Why did you grab the spoils of battle, doing what the Eternal considers evil?

Saul (defending himself): 20 I did what the Eternal One instructed. As He commanded, I went on the mission and decimated all the Amalekites, and I have brought back Agag, their king. 21 It was the people who took the sheep and cattle from the spoil that would have been devoted to destruction and brought them back to sacrifice to the Eternal One, your True God, in Gilgal.

22 Samuel: Does the Eternal One delight in sacrifices and burnt offerings
as much as in perfect obedience to His voice?
Be certain of this: that obedience is better than sacrifice;
to heed His voice is better than offering the fat of rams.
23 Rebellion is as much a sin as fortune-telling,
and willfulness is as wicked as worshiping strange gods.
Because you have rejected His commands,
He has rejected you as king.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Watch how easily Saul tries to deflect his guilt. From the time of Adam men, women, and children have attempted to push the blame for their sin on someone else. But it never works. Samuel addressed Saul with the question of obedience to My command and Saul assured him he did everything he was supposed to do. I obeyed, they did the evil action. I decimated the Amelekites, they brought back the spoils.

Of course, if Saul had really carried out My command, Agag would not have been brought back. The spoils would have been destroyed. Nothing would remain of the Amelekites. No trace of their existence would remain. But Saul didn’t do what I asked. He thought he would appease his men for their efforts by sharing the spoils of war with them, rather than obeying My command to him. I imagine he was thinking more about gold than he was about Me in those days.

Maybe he thought he needed to reward his men with the spoils of the battle in order to keep their loyalty. But it’s not their loyalty he needed to worry about it. It was Mine. I needed a leader who would obey Me as this new nation grew. I needed someone who understood the riches of the land would come from Me, not from the bounty taken from the previous occupants or from their conquests of war. I wanted peace across the land, though sometimes peace required violent means to achieve it.

It’s not easy to accept the blame for the wrongs you do, but it is the first and necessary step toward your redemption. If Saul had accepted his role and responsibility in the actions of the soldiers that day, he might have saved his kingdom and his life. But he didn’t. He refused to budge an inch. Consequently, his throne fell in a monumental chapter of history to a shepherd king named David, a man after My heart.

Are there things in your life you need to own up to? Have you failed to accept responsibility for some of the wrongs that put yourself or others in jeopardy because of actions or decisions you’ve made? Maybe it’s time to step up to the plate and do what you know you must do to rid yourself of the guilt that comes from the wrongdoing in your life. Just open yourself to Me with a repentant and contrite heart. I can do the rest. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Why did the earth tremble? (1 Samuel 14:1-15), Apr 13, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Samuel 14:1-15
Set – 1 Samuel 14; 2 Corinthians 13
Go! – 1 Samuel 14; 1 Chronicles 4; 2 Corinthians 13

1 Samuel 14:1-15
1One day Saul’s son, Jonathan, came up with a plan. He turned to his armor-bearer.

Jonathan: Come on. Let’s go down to the Philistines over there.

But he didn’t tell his father what he had decided.

2 Saul remained outside Gibeah under the pomegranate tree at Migron with about 600 of his soldiers. 3 Ahijah, the son of Ahitub and nephew of Ichabod (who was a son of Phinehas, who was born to Eli, who had been the priest of the Eternal One in Shiloh), was also there with Saul, bearing the priestly vest. None of the people knew that Jonathan had gone.

4-5 The mountain pass that Jonathan took to reach the Philistines was bordered on either end by rocky crags. The one on the north in front of Michmash was called Bozez, and the other on the south near Geba was called Seneh.

Jonathan (to his armor-bearer): 6 Come on! Let’s cross over to this force of Philistines, these uncircumcised, these idol-worshipers. Maybe the Eternal One will fight for us. If He wants to save us, then no force is too big or too small.

Armor-bearer: 7 Do whatever you think is right, and I will follow you. My decision will be your decision.

Jonathan: 8 Now we will approach the Philistines and let them see us. 9 If they say, “Wait there. We are coming to you,” then we will stay where we are, and we will not advance. 10 But if they say, “Come here,” then we will go to them, and that will be the sign that the Eternal has given us power over them.

11 So they let the Philistines see them, and the Philistine soldiers ridiculed them.

Soldiers: Look! There are some Hebrews climbing out of the holes where they’ve been hiding!

12 They signaled to Jonathan and his armor-bearer.

Soldiers: Come here, you two! Come here, and we’ll show you something!

Jonathan (to the armor-bearer): Follow me! The Eternal One has assured victory for Israel.

13 Jonathan scrambled up the steep incline on his hands and feet to the Philistine soldiers, his armor-bearer right behind. When he appeared before the Philistines, they fell before him, and he and his armor-bearer killed them right and left. 14 In that first assault, Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed about 20 men within an area of about a half-acre. 15 When the news of this slaughter spread, it caused trembling in the Philistine camp, among the soldiers in the field, even among the whole nation. The garrison of troops was confused and afraid, and the raiding parties who had terrorized Israel trembled. Soon the earth itself quaked, and an awesome trembling abounded.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Most of the time I work in the little things behind the scenes in ways you don’t even notice. But sometimes I do things so there is no mistaking My involvement in the affairs of My children. Jonathan’s exploits at this moment was one of those big moments. I had a hand in the answer the Philistines gave him that day as they saw him and his armor-bearer climbing the rocks near them.

Jonathan and his armor-bearer faced battle before, both were skilled in battle, but ten against one in a medium sized house lot are not good odds even for an expert against ten novices. Jonathan and his armor-bearer faced seasoned warriors in that small space. They needed My help to kill the twenty Philistine soldiers in the field. They lost count of the number of wounded and those who fled.

The fun part was what happened next, though. Word spread. The soldiers in the camp began to tremble with fear. The whole garrison began to tremble with fear. All of Philistia began to tremble with fear. The raiding parties began to tremble with fear. So I helped them reserve their strength. I made the ground tremble so they didn’t have to use their own muscles. I started a few earthquakes for them just to add to their excitement.

When I touch the earth, it recognizes Me and trembles. When I send My messengers, the earth recognizes them and trembles. Sometimes when I intervene on behalf of the people I use for My work, the earth trembles. The rocks and hills recognize My handiwork and applauds with its low rubble from deep within the earth. Isn’t it amazing how people who are supposed to have the highest intelligence of all My creation fail to recognize My hand at work?

Maybe the next time you feel the earth tremble, you should look around for what else I have done to demonstrate My power among humankind!

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Don’t sin by failing to pray for your leaders (1 Samuel 12:13-25), Apr 11, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – 1 Samuel 12:13-25
Set – 1 Samuel 12; 2 Corinthians 11
Go! – 1 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 1; 2 Corinthians 11

1 Samuel 12:13-25
13 So now, look: here is the king you chose, the king for whom you asked. The Eternal has indeed set a king to rule over you.

14 If you will revere and serve the Eternal, if you listen to His voice and do not disobey His commands, then you and this king who rules over you will follow the Eternal One, your True God, and all will go well with you.

15 But if you ignore His voice, if you disobey the commands of the Eternal, then His mighty hand of judgment will be raised against you and against your ancestors.

16 Stand ready, for the Eternal One is going to show you a great sight. 17 It is the wheat harvest now, and is this not the time after the early rains? But I will call upon the Eternal to send thunder and rain so you will realize the depths of your sin before God because you demanded a king to rule over you.

18 Samuel prayed to the Eternal. He sent thunder and rain to pelt the fields that day, and the people were afraid of Him and of Samuel.

People (to Samuel): 19 Pray to the Eternal One your God on behalf of your servants so we will not die for adding to all the weight of our sin the evil of demanding our own king.

Samuel: 20 Don’t be frightened. It is true that you have done evil, but never stop following the Eternal One. Serve Him completely, 21 and do not follow empty things that do not have the power to benefit or save you. They are worthless. 22 For the sake of His reputation, He will not cast away His chosen people. Before you ever chose Him, the Eternal One chose you as His own because it pleased Him.

23 As for me, the last thing I would ever do is to stop praying for you. That would be a sin against the Eternal One on my part. I will always try to teach you to live and act in a way that is good and proper in His eyes. 24 Make this your one purpose: to revere Him and serve Him faithfully with complete devotion because He has done great things for you. 25 But if you continue in your evil ways against Him, you and your king will be swept off the face of the earth.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Politics in Samuel’s day was not so different from politics today. One group wanted the judges I chose to stay in power and for the country to remain as a theocracy. Another group wanted left alone and the tribe leaders to manage the activities within the borders of the property inherited within the promised land I gave them. Yet another side cried for a king to unite the tribes as protection against the strength of the neighboring nations.

The voices for those clambering for a king won out. I still chose the first king, but one thing I want you to notice about Samuel and the group of prophets he led. He counted it a sin against Me if he ever failed to pray for the king of his nation. Saul needed his prayers. The people needed him to pray for the king.

Today in your country it’s party politics. You think things are different with your democratic government, but they’re not, really. One group wants their party in power and spends inordinate amounts of money to do so that could be used to really help people. Another group does the same, and yet another group does the same. When all the dust settles after your elections, nothing changes. Solomon said it well in the treatise you call Ecclesiastes. “It’s all vanity.”

One thing is certain, though. Whoever holds the political power in any nation needs the prayers of his or her people. Prayer works. Solomon said it. The chroniclers reiterated it. “When My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face, I will hear from heaven, and heal their land.”

I look at what goes on around you and see the corruption in your politics just as I saw the corruption among the kings who ruled in ancient Israel. I sent My people into exile because of their failure to obey Me. Their leaders led them down paths I never intended them to go – worshiping pagan gods. Making treaties with neighboring nations and adopting their worship rituals and idols. Substituting material riches and opulence for justice and care for the poor, the widows, orphans, and foreigners barely surviving in their cities.

When your leaders begin to care more about keeping their political positions or their party in power than meeting the needs of the people they serve, it’s past time for you to fall on your knees in prayer. Select your leaders carefully. Then pray for whoever holds the authority in the nations of the world. Whether they follow Me or reign as despots, the people they serve are influenced and impacted by their decisions. Samuel and his group of prophets should not be the only ones with the deep cry from their hearts that it would be a sin against Me to fail to pray for his king.

Pray for your leaders, they could use it…every day! 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Don’t jump to conclusions (I Samuel 1:1-18), Apr 7, 2015

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Today’s Podcast


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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Samuel 1:1-18
Set – 1 Samuel 1; Psalms 66
Go! – 1 Samuel 1-2; Psalms 66; 2 Corinthians 7

1 Samuel 1:1-18
1 When the judges ruled over Israel, there was a man from Ramathaim-zophim, from the hill country of Ephraim. He was Elkanah, who descended from Jeroham, Elihu, Tohu, and Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives: Peninnah, who bore him sons and daughters, and Hannah, who remained childless.

3 Elkanah used to go up every year from his city to worship and offer sacrifices at the altar of the Eternal One, Commander of heavenly armies, at Shiloh, where the priests of the Eternal were Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. 4 On the days he made a sacrifice, Elkanah would share a portion of his offering with his wife Peninnah and all her children, 5 but he offered a double portion of sacrificial meat for Hannah because he loved her even though the Eternal One had not given her children. 6 Peninnah used to infuriate Hannah until Hannah trembled with irritation because the Eternal had not given Hannah children. 7 This went on year after year; and every time Hannah went up to the house of the Eternal, Peninnah would infuriate her. So, as she often did, Hannah wept and refused to eat.

Elkanah (seeing Hannah’s despair): 8 Why are you crying and not eating? Why are you so sad, Hannah? Don’t I love you more than any 10 sons could?

9-10 One day after they ate and drank at Shiloh, Hannah got up and presented herself before the Lord. It so happened that the priest Eli was sitting in a place of honor beside the doorpost of the Eternal’s congregation tent as Hannah entered. She was heartbroken, and she began to pray to the Eternal One, weeping uncontrollably as she did.

Hannah: 11 Eternal One, Commander of heavenly armies, if only You will look down at the misery of Your servant and remember me—oh, don’t forget me!—and give Your servant a son, then I promise I will devote the boy to Your service as a Nazirite all the days of his life. [He will never touch wine or other strong drink,][a] and no razor will ever cut his hair.

12 As she prayed silently before the Eternal One, the priest Eli watched her mouth: 13 Hannah’s lips were moving, but since she was praying silently, he could not hear her words. So Eli thought she was drunk.

Eli: 14 How long are you going to continue drinking, making a spectacle of yourself? Stop drinking wine, and sober up!

Hannah: 15 My lord, I am not drunk on wine or any strong drink; I am just a woman with a wounded spirit. I have been pouring out the pain in my soul before the Eternal One. 16 Please don’t consider your servant some worthless woman just because I have been speaking for so long out of worry and exasperation.

Eli: 17 Go, don’t worry about this anymore, and may the True God of Israel fulfill the petition you have made to Him.

Hannah: 18 May your servant be favored in your sight.

Then Hannah rose and went back to where she was staying. The sadness lifted from her, so she was able to eat.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

The story of Hannah and her prayer in the congregation tent at Shiloh provides an example of the ease with which people jump to conclusions about the behavior of others. Eli assumed Hannah came the altar drunk because of her behavior in front of Me. He couldn’t distinguish between the external signs of deep despair and a woman who approached a with a little too much wine as she kneeled at the altar.

Both stagger under the load the carry, one with a heavy emotional burden, the other with the extra ethanol. He thought one a sad drunk when really she was crying with the burden of her childlessness. Eli though Hannah mumbled to herself unable to articulate words in her drunken state when if he could know her heart, he would know she was crying out to Me in her soundless state.

Humankind often misreads the behavior of others around them. Discernment is a gift I give to very few of My children. You cannot know the heart of those you see. And sometimes the behavior is not what you think. Sometimes it is, but only I really know the truth about a person’s heart. Just like Eli, it’s easy to make snap decisions about people and come out with wrong opinions.

Stop to find out the real story. Wait to hear the whole truth before taking actions you might regret later. Understand that unless I have given you the gift of discernment, and few have it, you cannot know the reason behind the behavior of others until they tell you. Even with the gift of discernment, you may be wrong. Only I really know the hearts of My children.

Think about Eli and Hannah the next time you are about to jump to conclusions about someone’s behavior – what they said or what they did you thought out of bounds. Perhaps, like Hannah, they are silently pleading in their way for My help or to bring glory to Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.