Scripture Daily

Context No. 1768 of 4322 · 1 Samuel

Context · Reflection

1 Samuel 12:18-25: in context

18So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19All the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.” 20Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn away from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21Don’t turn away to go after vain things which can’t profit or deliver, for they are vain. 22For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself. 23Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you. 25But if you keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”

At Samuel's word, God sends thunder and rain in the dry season, and the people, terrified, confess: we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king. They beg Samuel to pray that they not die. And Samuel answers with tenderness: do not be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet do not turn away from following the LORD, but serve him with all your heart. God will not forsake his people for his great name's sake. And Samuel promises to keep praying for them and teaching them the good way.

Samuel's counsel to a people who have just realized their sin is striking: you have done this evil, yet do not turn away from following the LORD. There is a real danger, when we become aware of our sin, of responding in exactly the wrong way, by turning away from God in shame. Having failed, we feel unworthy to come near him, sure he must be done with us, and so we drift away, avoid him, let our failure become the reason we abandon the pursuit of God altogether. Samuel names this danger and heads it off. He does not minimize the sin, they have indeed done this evil, but he refuses to let it drive them from God. Do not turn away, he says; do not let your failure become your reason for abandoning the LORD; rather, turn back and serve him with all your heart. This is the right response to having sinned: not to flee God in shame, but to turn back to him. Our failures tempt us to think that the holy thing to do is to withdraw, to keep our distance until we are worthy again; but the truth is the opposite. The place to bring our failure is to God, not away from him; the response to sin is to return, not to retreat. And Samuel grounds this in God's faithfulness: God will not forsake his people for his great name's sake. It is not our worthiness that keeps us his, but his own faithfulness; so we can turn back after failure with confidence, not because we have earned our way back, but because the God we return to will not forsake us. Do not turn away, Samuel says; turn back, and serve him with all your heart.

When I become aware of my sin, do I let shame drive me away from God, drifting from him because I feel unworthy to come near, or can I heed Samuel's counsel, you have done this evil, yet do not turn away, and turn back to serve God with all my heart, trusting his faithfulness rather than my worthiness?

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