Pastor's Corner: God -- our help in times of trouble

1 Samuel 7 tells an interesting story of what sometimes happens when we get serious about obeying God. Obedience to God always brings blessing – that is a truth proven throughout the scriptures and in so many lives throughout history. But sometimes we twist this idea to mean that submitting completely to God will mean we have no more problems, no more struggles and that a blessed life is an easy one.

1 Samuel 7:2 ends with an interesting declaration, “… then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.” They had decided to live God’s way! But their spiritual leader, Samuel, warned them that they would have to make a real change. They had been saying, “We belong to Jehovah,” but at the same time, they were worshiping the pagan gods of their neighbors and bowing down to their idols. He said, “If you are returning to God with all your hearts…,” then you need to get serious and get rid of anything else you are trusting in to save you. He told them that if they trust 100% in God, He would save them from their enemies, the powerful Philistines.

Amazingly enough, they did just that. They threw away their idols and gathered to worship God and ask for His help. They confessed their sin of half-heartedness and disloyalty to God. So they were a little shocked to learn that the very enemy from which God was to protect them was on its way to attack them, even as they prayed. And they were afraid!

Even so, they decided to trust God and asked Samuel to keep crying out to Him on their behalf. As he did so, God did something miraculous. 1 Samuel 7:11 says God, “thundered with loud thunder,” against their enemies and “threw them into such a panic,” that they ran away so completely defeated that they stopped even trying to invade.

It really shouldn’t surprise us that when we get serious about obeying God, our enemy, Satan, is not going to applaud our faith. In fact, while we claim to be Christians, but continue to compromise, living life our way, instead of God’s. He is happy with our hypocrisy and glad to let us continue without interference. However, when we decide to make a real commitment to live a radical Christian life, he will do anything to discourage us. To some, it feels like making a serious commitment to God marks the onset of all kinds of problems.

It would be easy to turn back when that happens, but it is precisely when we need to follow the example of the Israelites. We need to double down on praying and trust that God is able. That if our commitment has put us in the line of fire, it has also placed us in the watchcare of the Almighty God who is able to defend us.

The story closes in 1 Samuel 7:12, where Samuel puts up a memorial, a reminder that in all their history, God has always helped them without ever failing them. Each time we take steps of faith and obedience to God, the enemy will attack us. But if we will cry out to God and trust Him, we too will be able to say, “Ebenezer… I’ve gotten this far with God’s help, so I know I can trust Him now too.