7-26-2022

Good Morning!    

          1 Samuel 28:7; “(King) Saul told his officers, “Find me a woman who conjures up the dead. Then I’ll go to her and ask for her services.”  His officers told him, “There is a woman at Endor who conjures up the dead.”

    “The Witch of Endor;” this is one of those stories in the Bible that always causes people to sit up and listen during a Bible study class.  King Saul and the Israelites were at war with the Philistines.  He was trying to find out how the battle would go.  He turned from God and turned to a medium, a sorcerer, a witch who lived at Endor.  He asked her what she saw.  She told him it was the ghost of Samuel, the prophet.  The ghost told Saul that God had turned from him because he turned from God.  In the ensuing battles, Saul was killed. 

    Not every story has a happy ending.  Here was a man whom God had selected to be the first king of Israel, but he turned from God and even turned toward false idols for his hope.  In the end, he died away from God.

    Many people seem to go the same route as Saul.  They seem to be on top of the world.  They have a good job, a good spouse, a good family; it looks like they have it all.  Then they begin to look away from God and look toward any other source of comfort and support.  It can take many forms; it might be false religions, it might be believing the government can solve your problems, it might be wealth, it might be their intelligence, it might be that they simply want to trust the randomness of chaos.  They look to anything but God.

    The temptation is great.  It can be easy for us to be seduced by the elements of the world that want to lead us away.  Saul was seduced by the power of being king; all that wealth and everyone doing his bidding led him away from God.  The power of the seduction can be great no matter where it comes from.  The real problem is that when we are seduced away from God, when temptation leads us astray; we will die.  It may not be in battle with the Philistines but bring led from God will lead to our death. 

    The witch of Endor led Saul away from God.  Are there any “witches” that seek to lead you away from God?  There are probably many, but the critical thing is to see them for what they truly are: temptations to lead us astray.  We need to keep “The Spirit’s toolbox” handy.  We need to pray, to study God’s Word, to worship regularly with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, use his sacraments wisely.  These are all the tools that God gives us to help us withstand the “witches” in our life.  We need to use them diligently and trust in God to provide us a way to escape from the “witches.”

Gracious Lord, you give us the tools to battle our “witches.”  Strengthen our faith and give us the resolve to see only you as our hope and comfort.  Keep us mindful of your great love for us.  We ask that you especially be with those who are struggling with their own “witches” at this time.  Use us to help them overcome and remain in your kingdom.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret