1 Samuel 3: You Called Me?

See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle.

By the time of the judges, most of God's promises to the Israelites have already been fulfilled, including the promise that they would possess their own land. Even so, something is clearly lacking. No one would begin to call this crazy quilt of tribal territories a unified "nation." In fact, throughout the era of the judges, the Israelites have fought each other as often as they have fought their hostile neighbors.

As 1 Samuel opens, their perennial enemies, the Philistines, are exploiting the Israelites' disunity, pushing ever deeper into their territory. Israel's military weakness leads to one of the darkest days of Old Testament history, a time when the Philistines capture the sacred ark of the covenant in chapter 4. Some may wonder whether God has abandoned Israel.

The early part of 1 Samuel relates, though, how God directly steps in, as he did with Abraham and Moses, and calls out a new leader. While still a boy, Samuel hears God speak. He delivers God's message, even though it involves a rebuke for Eli, the man who has raised him from childhood. Ultimately, Samuel serves the entire nation as a transitional leader in the period between the judges and the kings. A priest by training, he leads the nation's worship. When the need arises, he even functions as a military general, spearheading a victorious recapture of disputed territories.

Finally, under God's direction, Samuel anoints Israel's first two kings. By performing these varied roles, Samuel leaves an important legacy: He manages to unite the tribes for the first time in a century. Under his leadership, Israel comes to the brink of nationhood. God has not forgotten the covenant after all.

Life Question: Have you ever felt "called" by God for a certain task? How have you responded?

.

In today's society where broken families are sadly becoming the norm, I really think God has called me to be a solid dad for my three kids. I'm definitely still a work in progress, but there really is an awesome responsibility in raising your kids in a world where immorality is rampant and more and more folks are distancing themselves from God and His church. But, the perks to this gig are extraordinary...each morning that they wake from sleep brings a whole new exciting episode to my life.