EPIC Fail - 1 Samuel 4

EPIC Fail - 1 Samuel 4

I never thought I would become a tea-drinking blogger, but here I sit - drinking tea and blogging. :) Today is day 3 of 5 in reflecting on our Fall Recharge theme at Ingham Okoboji. These youth retreat weekends start on Oct. 24 and run 5 weekends in a row until just before Thanksgiving. So I'm just sharing some of our main thoughts for the upcoming weekends. Beginning Friday, Oct. 17, I'll start reading the book of Acts, one chapter at a time. I hope you'll join me for that, but here's today's reading:

1 Samuel 4

1. What stuck out to you from the chapter?

The main part of the story we're using for the recharge is v. 1-11, but what stuck out to me as I read the chapter this time is that when both Eli and his daughter in law received news of the loss, it was the loss of the ark of the covenant that devastated them the most. As hard as hearing the news of his son's deaths, the news of the ark being captured was what made him flip (literally, falling over backward and breaking his neck). What it shows me is not that Eli didn't love his sons, but that he loved God and treasured God above all else. He couldn't bear to think that the object in which God chose to manifest Himself to the Israelites was carelessly used and lost for a battle that doesn't seem like it was led by God.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

The use of the ark in this careless manner reminds me of how Esau carelessly and flippantly traded away his blessing and inheritance for a bowl of stew. Something that should have been treasured was used to satisfy his fleeting desires.

3. What does this mean for my life?

I often catch myself making plans, moving forward with them, and pray that God would bless me in that. That is very similar to what the Israelites did. They decided to go into battle, without the specific "go-ahead-I'll-win-this-battle-for-you" blessing of God. Then when things weren't going well, they decided to bring God into it, still without God's blessing. This was the EPIC fail they experienced. I have to be careful to remember not to just ask God to bless my own plans. Rather, I need to seek God's plans and will for my life as best I can. Then I need to be obedient to His desires. In that situation, we don't even need to ask for God's blessing because it will be His leading all along. He will bless it.

4. Do I have any questions about this chapter?

Why would anybody name there kid Ichabod after reading this? (just kidding) I think a real question I have is this: Why didn't God say something when they started to bring the ark down? Like a simple, "Why are you doing this? I haven't blessed this battle. You're going to lose 30,000 people if you keep moving forward." That would have been nice.

Thanks for reading, please share your thoughts. May God bless your day as you seek to orient yourselves to his will.

In Christ,
Dan