12-18-2021

 Good Morning All!

       1 Samuel 7:12; “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the LORD has helped us."

    Have you ever watched some of the “underdog’ movies like “Rocky” or “Dodgeball” or even “The Karate Kid”? In these movies, and dozens more like it, we have the wise old guy who tutors and then gives advice to the young upstart who is taking on the world. We could even add “Star Wars” to this list. Sometimes our hero comes in already beaten up and in need of help and sometimes our hero does not even know he is the hero until the old guy explains it to him.

    The thing about these movies is that the old guy has the answers for the new guy. It might be a trick or an insight or a way to deal with your opponent or it might be an insight into the new guy himself.  Part of the plot twist is that somewhere along the line the new upstart guy either loses confidence or the girl or a skirmish along the way. Just when it seems hopeless, the old wise guy whispers the secret to all, and the good guy wins in the end.

    In the end, the new upstart guy pays homage to the old wise guy in some way, shape, or form and the wise old guy smiles back. In many ways this is what is going on in our verse. Samuel is telling the young upstart Israelites that the reason for their success is God and his benevolent hand. In the passages right before this verse, the Israelites defeated a superior Philistine army. They did it because God caused it to happen. That is how we win as well; God causes it to happen.

    God caused Israel to win because he loved them not because they deserved it. They did not deserve it. God causes us to win because he loves us not because we deserve it; we do not. This is God’s mercy and grace at work. We benefit because, so far, God has helped us. This makes it seem somewhat conditional; it really isn’t.  It really is about God’s faithfulness to us. This is about God keeping his promises to us.

    God has made promises to us and has kept each one of them. Right up until this moment, God has kept every promise that he has made to you. Can you say that you have kept every promise you have made? I know that I cannot. I have broken many promises throughout my life and usually they were made to my closest family members, my wife, my sons, my parents, and sisters. Sometimes we make such cavalier promises that we never even realize we break them. “Call me if you need something;” then they call and oops I am busy. God is never busy. God is always there for us. God is always speaking to us with his words of comfort, hope and forgiveness.

    Right up until now God has helped us. It is when we refuse to see the help and accept the help that we begin to howl. We complain that God is not helping; he is not listening, but the truth is we are the ones who are not listening; God is always speaking. God offers us his love in Jesus for us to hold on to. Right up until now God has saved you, redeemed you and preserved you. He will continue this same promise forever.

Dearest Lord Jesus, you have redeemed us with your blood and righteousness. Keep us as your dear ones and hold us safely in your arms. Make us to see the comfort and hope which you give each day through your precious Words of forgiveness and salvation. In your precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret