Tag: God

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The Spirit of the Lord and Saul’s Troubled Heart

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Nathan Cowley on pexels

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Samuel 16.  

“Why are you in such a bad mood?”

Hey, it happens to all of us, right? We’re grumpy, sullen, grouchy, agitated, irritated, anxious, or depressed. Or all of the above.

It happens to people in the bible, too. “Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him” (1 Samuel 16:14).

I’ve always struggle to understand what’s going on here. In the Old Testament, the Spirit of the Lord seems to come and go. And an “evil” (or harmful) spirit from the Lord doesn’t sound right at all.

Maybe it’s the writer’s way of describing someone who responds to the promises and the presence of God – or not. King Saul hasn’t exactly been on the same page as the Lord lately, so rather than living with assurance, he’s got nothing but fear, jealousy, and depression.

It’s kind of like your reaction to the return of Jesus. You might dread it or you might be excited about it. It just depends on your faith or your lack of it.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Waiting just a little longer

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Dima Solomin on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Samuel 13.

What if I had waited just a few more hours?

We had no power because of the most recent hurricane. The electric company estimated our service wouldn’t be restored for another five days. Great. Life-threatening? No. Inconvenient? Very much so.

I headed out in the morning and filled up six two-gallon gas cans for the generator. I bought two more long extension cords to bring a little power into different parts of the house.

About 3:00 in the afternoon, the lights in the house lit up and the AC turned on.

What if I had waited just a few more hours?

King Saul found himself in a tight spot. The huge Philistine army is bearing down on him. His own army has dwindled to six hundred as more and more went home. It’s been seven days and Samuel hasn’t show up. Saul has to do something. He’s king. He’s the leader. Everyone is looking to him for direction.

So Saul offers up the pre-battle burnt offering himself. As soon as he does, Samuel shows up and asks, “What are you doing?”

Saul said, “The people were scattering, you didn’t come, the Philistines were on their way, so I did what I had to do” (1 Samuel 13:12).

Samuel says, “That was foolish and disobedient. Say goodbye to your kingdom. God is going to find someone else to rule his people” (13:13,14). God is going to find someone who trusts him.

I am much more like Saul than I like to admit. I’m patient, but I’m not that patient. I trust God, but I’m on a schedule. My souls waits for the Lord, but you’ll often catch me glancing at my watch.

Ultimately, the only one who can really take care of God’s people is Jesus, who is God himself. Ultimately, he’s the only one I can trust. Not me. Not my judgment. Not my capability. Only him.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Making the rounds: Samuel judges Israel

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Samuel 7.

Pastoral ministry was my second career. With a math degree in hand, I programmed computers for a few years before I went to seminary.

Once parishioners got wind of my background, they assumed I’d be able to give them technical advice when their devices malfunctioned. While they wanted me to have solid theological credentials, they also wanted me to diagnose a printer that wouldn’t print, wifi that wouldn’t connect, or some malware that paralyzed a laptop.

Eventually, when someone asked, “Can I ask you about something?” I’d reply, “I hope it’s a bible question.” They would chuckle and ask me how to find a downloaded document on their computer.

I never did it, but I’m convinced that if I taught a Sunday School class on how to use your smart phone I would fill the room.

Everyone knew that the Lord spoke to Samuel and established him as a prophet. So Samuel “went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all those places,” as well as his hometown of Ramah (1 Samuel 7:16,17).

I would have gone to see Samuel when he was in my town. I love hearing from people who have spent time with the Lord. You can tell when someone spends time with God in the word and in prayer. Those folks see the world differently. They see God at work in both joy and heartbreak. Their gentle faith, contagious hope, and genuine love fill any room they’re in. Their conversation isn’t about them. It’s either about you or Him.

I’m thankful for folks like that. I hope you get to know some, too!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A familiar voice

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jelena Kostic on Unsplash

I didn’t recognize the phone number, but I answered the call anyway. After a tentative, “Hello?” The voice on the other end launched into conversation.

“O, good, you’re there. I wanted to ask you a question…”

They went on to explain the reason behind their question until I interrupted, “I’m sorry, who is this?” Some voices are familiar. Not this one.

I wonder if I would recognize God’s voice. When Samuel hears a voice at night, he assumes it’s his mentor, the high priest Eli. Who else would it be?

But it was God. We’re told the word of God was rare in those days. Hardly any visions. But after three calls in the night, Eli knows it’s the Lord. He instructs Samuel to reply, “Speak, for your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:10).

I’m not expecting to hear God’s voice in the night (or on the phone) since we’re told that, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 12:1,2).

The voice of Jesus? Saul didn’t recognize his voice (Acts 9:5).

So what’s left?

We’ve got eyewitnesses, like Peter who wrote, “We were there and we heard his voice” (2 Peter 1:17,18). Or John who also saw him and heard him (1 John 1:3). Or even Paul (aka Saul) whose question was answered with a definitety, “I am Jesus” (Acts 9:5).

Thanks to their testimony, the word of God is not rare. I’ve heard it, I’ve repeated it, I’ve sung it, and it is familiar and welcome in a world full of voices. And I’m listening!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Life-changing prayer

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

Hannah’s prayer is life-changing. Yes, it is life-changing because God does give her a son. But a change occurs before that.

Hannah is deeply distressed and pours out her soul before the Lord, bitter tears running down her face (1 Samuel 1:10, 15). After she prays, she “went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad (1:18). She leaves Shiloh a changed woman.

So what just happened to Hannah? She opened her heart and emptied it of all its sadness, despair, concern, and provocation. (The provocation came from Peninnah, the other wife, who could have children when Hannah could not.) Once she had unloaded all that to the Lord, everything was different.

Maybe our hearts weren’t designed to carry all the sorrow, anxiety, jealousy, and bitterness our lives absorb each day. Thankfully God has designed a relief valve: prayer.

  • “Cast your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
  • “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).
  • “Pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:8).

So it’s okay to do that. It’s okay to open the floodgates and let all that pent up worry, grief, regret, and shame rush out. Our Lord is happy to clean up the mess.

That’s an interesting and profound way to picture grace, isn’t it? And then once you let it all out, you’ve got room for all God wants to pour into your life!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Somebody

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by The Jopwell Collection on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Judges 6.

God says to Gideon, “Go in this strength of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian” (Judges 6:14).

Gideon responds, “O Lord, how am I to save Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house” (6:15). In other words, “How am I going to do that? I’m nobody.” God says, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be with you.”

Never underestimate the value of someone who says, “I’ll go with you.” To the doctor. To the funeral home. To lunch. To the store. Suddenly, you’re somebody. And so are they.

God has always been “somebody” to me. But how often do I think about me being “somebody” to God? When I pray, he listens – to me. When I’m reading scripture, he is speaking – to me. He created everything, and he created me.

I don’t have to work that hard to be somebody. I already am.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Somebody’s hero

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Esteban López on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Judges 3.

As they put down roots in the promised land, God’s people get into a cycle of unfaithfulness, repentance, and deliverance. They drift into idolatry, God lets enemies torment them, they cry out for help, God sends a judge to deliver them, after which they will drift into idolatry. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. God’s patience seems to be infinite.

The judges God raises up are an interesting bunch. Each is an example of personal Spirit-filled heroism. Many have a memorable quality. Ehud is left-handed, an uncommon trait among fighters of that time (Judges 3:15). Shamgar uses an oxgoad to kill six hundred Philistines (Judges 3:31). Gideon has the fleece (Judges 6:36-40). Samson exhibits superhuman strength (Judges 14:6).

Few people think of themselves as heroes. Most of the time, they’re just doing their job. But when you’re there at the right time in the right place, you might just be someone’s hero.

From Jesus’s point of view, heroes were always the least and the last. His heroes were children, servants who simply did their jobs, and sometimes those who did nothing but listen to him teach.

Every judge reminds us that Jesus is our deliverer, our ultimate hero.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

More than a memory

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Judges 2.

It only took one generation. The people were serious when they promised, “We will serve the Lord” and got rid of their foreign gods (Joshua 24:22,23).

I turn one page in the bible and read, “There arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel. The sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals” (Judges 2:10,11).

How could that happen? Did no one tell them? Or weren’t they listening? It was probably a combination of both. The powerful accounts of crossing the Jordan on dry ground and watching the wall of Jericho fall were interesting and inspiring. But it wasn’t their experience.

I don’t fully understand my father’s experience of being away from home in the South Pacific for eighteen months during World War II. In a similar way, my grandchildren will never know what it felt like to watch the Twin Trade Towers collapse on September 11, 2001. The youngest of my grandchildren will look at pictures one day and ask, “What were you wearing a mask?” They didn’t live through the uncertain times of a pandemic.

That reality sounds sad until I remember that His story is different than history. The biblical accounts of God at work open our eyes to see him at work in our lives. As we gather for worship and live out our faith in the world, it becomes our experience, too. It is our story.

Someone is always watching you, learning from you. They might be related. They might not. Let them see someone affected by the God who was, and is, and always will be. Let them see someone who loves because they’ve been loved.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

You have to make a choice

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Marques Thomas on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Joshua 24.

I used to hear these words all the time: “We know there are many airlines to choose from, so thank you for choosing [our airline].” Maybe I just haven’t been paying attention. Or maybe there was commotion from passengers wrestling carry on bags from the overhead compartment. Most of the time, I can’t even understand what the flight attendant is saying over the intercom. It just seems like I don’t hear that any more.

It’s crazy how many choices are available to us. How many makes of automobiles can we choose from? One source I checked reported over a hundred. My grocery store has a whole aisle devoted to nothing but different kinds of cereal. Running shoes? There are endless manufacturers and models. Milk? Why buy it from a cow when you can buy milk made from soy, almonds, oats, cashews, peas, coconut, flax, or rice?

So, life is filled with choices. Every day we have to choose whether we will fear, love, and trust the one true God or some other god we have manufactured. Joshua put it this way:

“Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15).

What’s it going to be, folks? Those Egyptian gods you left when God brought you out of bondage? The local Canaanite gods worshiped in the land God brought you to? Or will it be the One who delivered you, provided for you, protected you, and led you to this time and place?

This choice is not just an intellectual exercise. Your choice will guide your actions. If you choose the one true God (and I’m thinking that most of my readers will be in that camp), you choose to do what he commands and avoid what he forbids. It means you’ll be kind, generous, forgiving, and merciful. It means you’ll tell the truth, obey civil law, and love your neighbor. It means you’ll keep your word, take care of your health, and clean up your language.

Don’t answer too quickly. Who will you choose to serve, obey, and worship? Are you sure? Final answer?