“Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! 17 Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call on the Lord to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.” 18 Then Samuel called on the Lord, and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the Lord and of Samuel.” 1 Samuel 12.16-18
Sometimes it is hard to separate what I am reading in Scripture from what I am experiencing in life. Has this ever happened to you? Scriptural truths should often be applied to daily life, but when you read a particular verse, and it seems to speak directly to your situation, isn’t it amazing?
Samuel had been speaking to the Israelites, and even though they had rejected God, He had not rejected them. Samuel was about to show them evidence of God’s existence by fulfilling His promises and being faithful to them. He said, “Now then, stand still and see the great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!” Thunder and rain came at Samuel’s command, and “all the people stood in awe of the Lord and of Samuel.”
We want God to “awe” us, don’t we? We want to believe that He is with us, near us, surrounding us, and filling us. We don’t want to live in a world of discouragement and faithlessness. We want to believe in God and see evidence of His presence and blessings among us when we commit our ways to Him and bless His name.
I’ve experienced much of this in my own life. He has blessed me with a wonderful family, work, and ministry. He is providing for all my needs, allowing me to live in a great country where I can freely proclaim the name of Jesus, and giving me opportunities to serve Him with my whole heart. I realize not everyone has been given the opportunities I have, but I pray that when we turn to the Lord, He will fulfill our needs and desires according to Christ Jesus.
It’s impossible for me to write this today and not reflect on the presidential election that occurred this week. Half our country is still divided even after the results. The new president-elect, Trump, will not be able to meet all our needs or fulfill all our desires. He will certainly do the best job he can, but our hope is placed not in him but in Christ. For this world will pass away, but God’s Word will endure forever.
This election is reason for us to lean even further into God and His plan for our lives. We must realize that He is our hope, Savior, and way.
So I challenge you to commit your ways to the Lord and stand to see the amazing thing God will do before your eyes. He who created the world with a spoken word reached out and plucked you out of your sin and hopelessness. Call upon Jesus. Put your faith in Him. Allow the Lord to strengthen you by His grace and for His glory.
“O Lord God, You are good. Thank You for loving us. Even when my love fails, Your love remains steadfast. Even if my candidate is elected for president, my hope is in You. You are my King, my love, and my grace. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill us with Your power. For You are good, and Your love endures forever.” Amen