Great Lessons

Saturday March 21, 2026

Great lessons.  This morning in our reading there were two lessons of encouragement that really stood out.  In our reading in 1 Samuel, we see that Israel had committed a terrible sin.  In their desire to have an earthly king, basically what they were saying was that they had rejected God as their King.  Samuel rehearses in their hearing all that God had done for them and how He had delivered them time after time.  They had been warned by Samuel before about desiring a king, but they wanted one anyway.  So, God anoints them a king.  After rehearsing all of the goodness of God, on the day of wheat harvest, Samuel tells the people that he will call on the Lord and ask Him to send thunder and rain so that they would recognize what an immense evil they had committed in the Lord’s sight by requesting a king for themselves (1 Samuel 12:17).  The Lord heard and answered that prayer and the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel (v.18).  So, what does a people do now that they have committed such a sin against the Lord?  Is God going to annihilate them?  “Samuel replied, ‘Don’t be afraid.  Even though you have committed all this evil, don’t turn away from following the Lord.  Instead, worship the Lord with all your heart.  Don’t turn away to follow worthless things that can’t profit or rescue you; they are worthless.  The Lord will not abandon His people because of His great name and because He has determined to make you His own people” (v.20-22).  When we fall, and even when we fall hard, we must not run away from God; we must run to Him!!
The second lesson is on the importance of prayer.  God is teaching me this afresh and anew.  When they were in trouble, they asked Samuel to call upon the Lord for them.  Remember, their decision for a king signified rejection of God and Samuel, as Samuel was the “judge” God had raised up to lead them during this time.  Yet, Samuel prayed.  He actually said, “I vow that I will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you.  I will teach you the good and right way” (v.23).  Prayer is not the least we can do.  No, it is the greatest thing we can do.  In our psalm reading, it says, “Lord God of Armies, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers” (Psalm 80:4).  We must be patient in prayer.  There are times when we have sinned and our hearts have hardened that by the time we realize the sin, much time has passed.  God is patient and longsuffering with us.  Once He has become angry, it is likely due to long-standing sin.  We must continue to be faithful in prayer, waiting upon the Lord.  The psalmist continues to pray in that psalm and in that continued prayer, he asks for Restoration (v.3, 7, and 19), for the Lord to Return (v.14), and for the Lord to Revive (v.18).  God does and will answer prayer.