Grains of Sand

One of my many blessings—the view from my balcony

The quintessential position of patience This is a test. We can identify with Saul. On the eve of battle, with his troops getting restless and ready to run for home, Saul is feeling the pressure. Samuel is expected to come to put God's "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval" on the enterprise. At the end of the seven days, the waiting period designated by Samuel, there is no prophet appearing over the nearest hill. If his troops were " quaking with fear " before (I Samuel 13:7, NIV), they are paralyzed with it now. If he doesn't act, what men are left to him will take off for the hills. Saul acts. He offers the required sacrifices to God (vss. 9, 10). He takes on a role that isn't his to assume. He doesn't trust God and doesn't inspire that same trust in his men. If he'd only waited a little while longer. His impatience cost him his kingdom (vss. 13, 14). Most of us are not anticipating leading men into battle, but most of us can relate to th...

Dr. R. E. Baxter, former pastor The aged prophet has just delivered a stinging rebuke. He was against the request that Israel had made to imitate their neighbours and have a king. But God had directed him to do as the people had asked. Samuel did as he was told, albeit reluctantly. Now, after the fact, he reminds Israel that they have made a big mistake. Oddly enough, and despite the fact that Saul has just had a decisive victory against the Ammonites, the people realize what they hadn’t understood earlier—they had made a mistake. We all make mistakes. Some are bigger than others and bring corresponding consequences.We often gloat a little (or a lot) when others get caught. We wiggle on the end of our own hook when we get caught, ably assisted by those who twist the line a little as they gloat over our mistakes. We might have expected Samuel to gloat a little at a remorseful Israel, but he doesn’t.While he doesn’t excuse them, he does offer them words of encouragement (1 Samuel 12:...

Another one of those things I never noticed before— " The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground " (1 Samuel 3:19, NIV). It's a little awkward grammatically but the following two verses clear up which "he" is who! " And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. And Samuel's word came to all Israel " (3:20-4:1a, NIV). I love that phrase, " …he let none of his words fall to the ground. " This boy to whom God spoke, this youth, this man, heard the voice of God, he listened (once he got over that initial confusion of who was speaking to him) and he didn't forget or neglect one single word of what God told him. What a beautiful example of what our attitude should be to the Word of God. We sometimes pick and choose from among the things we hear f...

One of our former "faithful priests" Last night, our congregation took an historic vote that will change the process the church has traditionally followed in looking for a pastor. A new chapter has begun and new chapters bring challenges with them. Which was why I decided this morning to stay in 1 Samuel 2 instead of moving on to the next chapter. As I opened my Bible this morning, my eye caught a verse I had underlined at the end of the chapter. It SO spoke to me. The boy Samuel is now in residence in the Tabernacle. God is unhappy with Israel's spiritual leadership. Eli is an old man who can't control his sons. Those two men are abusing their mandate as priests and God has warned Eli that He will not tolerate His name and reputation being trampled underfoot. He makes this announcement: " I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his house, and he will minister before my anoin...

The Avila, Caracas, Venezuela They said it was like hell. Of course, they've never been to hell, but I imagine it was a reasonable facsimile. Yesterday I woke up to the smell of bush burning. I couldn't see anything but as the day wore on I became aware that forest fires were burning all around the town. Some 25,000 hectares (almost 62 thousand acres) out around Gogama resulted in mass evacuations of the town and the cottages in that area. Highways were closed and on the last day of a holiday weekend, life probably got complicated for those trying to get home. The cause of the fires hasn't been reported yet. There has been a fire ban on, though that doesn't mean someone wasn't careless. But we have had thunder storms so it could have easily been lightning. Regardless of the cause, yesterday rain was welcome. I remember seeing the mountains around Caracas lit up from fires. Dry weather, lightning, carelessness and arson all came into play there, much as the...

Google Images The famous vow that Ruth made to her mother-in-law, Naomi, has been repeated in countless wedding ceremonies—though not a single one, I'm sure, where the bride has actually made the vows to her new mother-in-law! " Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God… " (Ruth 1:16, NIV). But the words Ruth spoke to Boaz are of much greater significance that what she said to Noami. Ruth has been working in the fields of one of Naomi's relatives, Boaz. She has been protected and provided for as she has worked. But she is not safe. In the night, at the end of harvest, Ruth goes to Boaz and, as he sleeps, she lies down at his feet. When the man perceives that someone is lying there, she says to him: "' I am your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer '" (Ruth 3:9, NIV). Ruth would never enjoy the security of the ...