Monday Devo
Scripture:
1 Samuel 7:1-6
So the men of Kiriath-jearim came to get the Ark of the Lord. They took it to the hillside home of Abinadab and ordained Eleazar, his son, to be in charge of it. 2 The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time—twenty years in all. During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the Lord had abandoned them.
Samuel Leads Israel to Victory
3 Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord.
5 Then Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord. (It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)
So the men of Kiriath-jearim came to get the Ark of the Lord. They took it to the hillside home of Abinadab and ordained Eleazar, his son, to be in charge of it. 2 The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time—twenty years in all. During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the Lord had abandoned them.
Samuel Leads Israel to Victory
3 Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord.
5 Then Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord. (It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)
Commentary:
7:3–4 Returning here is the act of repentance, i.e., a change of direction back to the Lord. Samuel gives three commands: (1) turn away from idolatry; (2) direct the heart to the LORD; and (3) serve him alone (see Deut. 6:4–15; Josh. 24:14–28; Judg. 10:6–16). Foreign gods and the Ashtaroth refers to the totality of idols. The Baals and the Ashtaroth has the same meaning.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 502.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 502.
Questions:
Sometimes we know something needs to change, but knowing it needs to change and actually changing it are two very different things. That was the problem Israel faced in 1 Samuel 7. They had been grieving their distance from God, but Samuel knew that feeling sorry was not enough. If they truly wanted to return to the LORD, something had to change. “Get rid of your foreign gods… Turn your hearts to the LORD and serve him only” (1 Samuel 7:3).
Samuel told them to get rid of their idols. Sometimes we ask God to help us overcome a pattern of sin while still holding on to everything around us that makes that sin easier to repeat. We pray for strength, but we don't change the habits. We ask for freedom, but don't implement any boundaries. We feel convicted, but we don't tell anyone. We want the sin to stop but don't change anything about the way we're living.
Repentance requires action. Putting a safe guard on your phone. Changing a routine. Ending a relationship that continually pulls you away from Jesus. Confessing something you've kept hidden. The action will look different for each person, but the idea is the same: if we are serious about turning toward Jesus, we have to be willing to turn away from what keeps pulling us back.
Samuel told them to get rid of their idols. Sometimes we ask God to help us overcome a pattern of sin while still holding on to everything around us that makes that sin easier to repeat. We pray for strength, but we don't change the habits. We ask for freedom, but don't implement any boundaries. We feel convicted, but we don't tell anyone. We want the sin to stop but don't change anything about the way we're living.
Repentance requires action. Putting a safe guard on your phone. Changing a routine. Ending a relationship that continually pulls you away from Jesus. Confessing something you've kept hidden. The action will look different for each person, but the idea is the same: if we are serious about turning toward Jesus, we have to be willing to turn away from what keeps pulling us back.
- Think about an area where you keep asking God for freedom, but your daily choices have stayed the same. What are you asking God to change that you have not been willing to change yourself?
- Israel's repentance at Mizpah involved shared, public confession rather than isolated, private regret. What makes dragging hidden struggles out into the light of community so intimidating? How does keeping sin in secret give it power over us, and what shift happens when you allow others into what you're struggling with?
- Samuel told Israel to get rid of their idols. What is one thing you need to set a boundary around this week so you don’t keep falling into the same sin? Who could you tell so they can help you stick to it?
Prayer Topics:
- Confess the places where you have settled for regret without repentance
- Ask God to show you where you need to make practical changes or set real boundaries to live in real repentance.
- Ask God to bring wise, trustworthy people into your life who can help you walk in the light rather than hiding or managing sin on your own.
- Thank God for sending Jesus to seek the lost and provide the way for us to be reconciled to Him.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
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