By Route 365 on 3/5/2010 5:00 AM

1 Samuel 13:1-15

Week 9 : Day 5

by Rhonda Staversky

Saul was getting ready for battle against the Philistines who greatly outnumbered the men from Israel. This struck fear into Saul’s army. They felt that there was no way they could win so many of them hid or fled. To make things worse, Saul didn’t ask for God’s blessing or help in this situation. Then Saul felt guilty so he offered the Lord burnt offerings. Samuel told Saul that since he didn’t keep the Lord’s commandment to trust Him and wait for Him, Saul’s kingdom would fall. Another king would be named, one who had a heart for the Lord.

I can identify with Saul in some respects.  I am a planner, organizer and “doer.”  It is hard for me to sit around waiting. I usually try to do something, anything to fix a bad situation.  I take things into my own hands because something must be done and I might as well do it.  Unfortunately, this is not the best course of action.  I may not be in tune with what God wants from me or from the situation. Sometimes by doing, I make things worse not better. More times than not, if I had waited, the answer to the problem would make itself known. I need to learn patience and that the waiting is God’s way of preparing me for what He wants.  I need to remember that God’s timing is perfect so I must trust Him, listen to Him and then act.

Your fellow traveler,

Rhonda
 

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By Route 365 on 3/4/2010 6:44 AM

Psalm 95

Week 9 : Day 4

by Rhonda Staversky

Most of this Psalm is praising God for who He is and for the universe He created. The author conveyed the magnitude of the Lord’s greatness in all of creation. I always feel in awe when I start to imagine the entire universe. I really can’t comprehend how vast it is though. Louie Giglio has a great DVD called “How Great is our God.” He compares the vastness and magnitude of the universe by comparing to size of heavenly bodies to the Earth if the Earth were the size of a golf ball. He also goes into the intricacies of the human cell which as a molecular biologist I work with every day. The tiny cell organelles to the huge stars in the sky shout the glory of God and how amazing his creation is. What God has created is beyond my tiny brain to fully understand.

What is even harder to grasp is that this creator of the universe created me. He knew my before I was born and he wants me to know him in a very personal way. That boggles my mind. God wants all of us to listen to him since he knows what is best for us. When we don’t listen, we fall into the same trap that past generations fell into. They turned from God, followed their own desires and in return God had consequences for their rebellion. This consequence is the separation from Him and this will lead to not sharing His peace. We need to learn from past generations as well as from our own past to follow God’s ways in order to really have peace.

Your fellow traveler,

Rhonda

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By Route 365 on 3/3/2010 5:00 AM

1 Samuel 12:1-25

Week 9 : Day 3

by Rhonda Staversky

In this passage, Samuel recapped the history of God’s promises to His people.  God promised that He would be with them and that He expected them to obey Him.  However, throughout the years, God’s people would turn from Him, forget Him and do “what was evil in the sight of the Lord.” This usually led to a difficult situation for them. They often were defeated by their enemies and enslaved.  Only after that would they repent and ask forgiveness which God would grant. 

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By Route 365 on 3/2/2010 5:00 AM

1 Samuel 11:12-15; 2 Peter 3:9

Week 9 : Day 2

by Rhonda Staversky

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By Route 365 on 3/1/2010 7:12 AM

1 Samuel 11:1-11; Psalm 28

Week 9 : Day 1

by Rhonda Staversky

Boy, ancient times were violent. I can’t imagine agreeing to have my eye gouged out. I would hope that I would go down fighting before allowing that to happen or at least wait, and hope for someone to save the day. The elders of Jabesh seem to be cowards to me.

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