These chapters talk about how Saul has “lost” his anointing as Israel’s king and one could find many references useful for believers, one of which was “to obey is better than sacrifice” in 1 Sam 15:22.

What I found really inspiring and interesting was in 1 Sam 14:7, the willingness of Jonathan’s armour-bearer to follow his master whole-heartedly, “…. I am with you heart and soul.”  I cannot imagine how comforting it would be to hear this, especially in a life and death situation as Jonathan was coming up to the Philistines.  There was only the two of them, and this servant could easily have walked off to save his own life!  I mean, what is the chance of defeating the Philistine, rocking up to them without an army?  Or intelligence information?  Or a map of the opponent camp?  Don’t think that was a very clever plan, but he stuck with his master regardless.

Lord, how do I serve you if I believe in my own hands more than I do in Yours?  Help me to choose faith and to trust, so that I can be Your servant, a loyal follower to the end.  Amen.

As I read these chapters, I thought about God’s faithfulness to a nation which is unfaithful.  Israelites have been unfaithful to God, running after and worshipping idols as soon as they are in safety; looking up to their neighbouring nations rather than to God for their worth.  But yet, God never forsakes them because they are His people, His chosen ones.  The pain that His people goes through pains Him, that’s why even when there is 1 faithful person amongst Israel, He would heed his prayer and rescue His people.  Samuel prayed for Israel, and God listened.

This just goes to show that our God feels our pain when we suffer.  Many ask, why do God allows sufferings?  If He loves us so much, why does He allow it?  I don’t have an answer but I know He cares even in the midst of our sufferings.  As I read the chapters tonight, I felt that He pains for the Israelites, and is so grief when they departed from His love.  Today, our God is still the same – He pains for our sufferings and He griefs when we do not acknowledge Him or refuses His love.

Chapter 3 talks about the correct response to God’s voice – “speak, for your servant is listening.”

Contrast that to the rest of Israel – Israelites have not listened, nor do they remember.  Well, they do remember when they are in trouble!  See in 1 Sam 4:3, “let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh” because they know God has the power to save them.  A little too late, I guess.

This is exactly how I’ve treated God, as my magic wand.  My back is feeling bad, “Lord, please heal me.”  I’m unsure which job offer to take up, “Lord, please open the door and shed a light.”  The finance is a little tight this month, “Lord, please show us the light to our finances.”

The really interesting thing I thought is in 1 Sam 4:7 – even though the Philistines had their own gods and idols, they are aware of God’s power and by God, are they scared!

Lord, you are not the second choice, you ought to be my first.  You are all-able and sorry for coming to you only when I am in deep-deep trouble.  Forgive me for putting you in second place and not acknowledging your authority in my life.  Amen.

Well, another reason for the dwindling blog entries is because I have drifted off my Bible reading and prayer.  No revelation comes around as much any more as I left God by the wayside.  I celebrate successes without acknowledging His grace and provision.  Not a lot of good can be accomplished when you leave God out of the equation – things began to go south pretty quickly.  Yet, I didn’t realised my need for God – I continued on, working harder, until I snapped.  Yep, pretty easily the high-flyer has fallen flat on me face.  So, TODAY marks the return to God and His words.  And boy, can I tell you it’s great!  Although I have done wrong in God’s eyes, He doesn’t withheld His grace and love for me, just as what Jesus has described in the parable fo the prodigal son.

I picked up where I left off about a year ago, at 1 Samuel.  I will jot my thoughts down on this blog and may this be the witness of my journey.  Thank you for reading!

31 July 2011 – 1 Samuel 1 and 2

The book began with Samuel’s parents and the “beginning” of Samuel.  2 points I see from my reading today:

• I see Hannah’s faith in the Lord and how I ought to pray (1 Sam 1:18) – Hannah, Samuel’s mother, was barren and looked down by the other wife of her husband.  She prayed for a son and of course we see later that her prayer was answered.  I don’t know about you, but when I pray to the Lord, the matter I pray about doesn’t get off my head.   As I read “…her face was no longer downcast” the Spirit showed me how little faith I have in my prayer!  The Lord believed in her prayer, because she believed in His power; whereas I look at my problem and get overwhelmed by its grips.  Our God has turned the impossibles into possibles, so why don’t I leave my worries with Him and step out in faith?

• Our gifts can be taken away if we do not do what we are told by the Lord – we see in later part of Chapter 2 the sinful sons of Eli.  Eli is a Levite, the tribe chosen by the Lord as His priest for Israel.  His sons however did evil in the Lord’s eyes and was finally destroyed as young men.  Jesus has told us in the parable of the talent that whoever unfaithful to the talent given to him will have none in the end; much like Eli’s family tree going forward.  The Lord promised him that there will be “never be an old man” in his family line (1 Sam 2:31), therefore meaning no more priesthood.

Lord, may we follow you whole-heartedly, in faith and in deeds.  We cannot do this on our own, because we live in a sinful body, but you can help us.  You have already given us your Spirit, may we not quench the spirit and we shall heed its nudge.  Amen.

Have read the book of Revelation and it will be nothing less than amazing on Judgement Day.  We can look forward to this day’s coming as it will be the most beautiful day ever, believers live for this day – no more pain and worry and to be reunited with our Creator, to live in the garden of Eden again.

Although this is fabulous news for believers, the coming of Judgement Day, but all of a sudden I felt really sad at this thought.  What about my friends and family who is not saved yet???  Today we can have fun together on earth, but when Judgement Day comes, we will not meet again!

But of course no one really know when this day will come.  Jesus said in one of his parables that no one will know about it so we need to be prepared all the time.  So my prayer today is for my family of friends, let them be saved, let them believe.  God, if it’s your will, please take away their choices.  You love them, Lord, because they are your creation.  Please let them be saved and we can enjoy together on the same table in heaven.  Amen.

Today’s passage is Genesis 14.  What grabbed my attention was towards the end of the chapter Genesis 14:23, when Abram wouldn’t take anything from the king of Sodom, such that the king cannot boast of making Abram rich.

To me, the king of Sodom signify the way of this world; while Abram is a god-fearing man, a believer like you and me.  Abram wouldn’t let anything of the world to bless and make him prosperous, because God alone is his provider.  So should we – we do not believe this world’s definition of prosperity.  God blesses us with peace-love-faith, plenty of it, never-ending of this, this is what we seek.  We do not want to give the world an opportunity to see that us using their way to false prosperity, instead, God’s blessings should sing out to this world as a testimony!

God, help me to see your provision as being my ultimate need today.  Amen.

“How about meatballs?  Do we have the ingredients?” he hinted.

“Hmmm…. there’s more work involved with meatballs….” I tried to hide the reluctance sensing that he is rather keen.

“I could help chop up the onions?” he volunteered, undeterred.

So, meatballs were for dinner.  Can the bolognese.

“Can you make them moist?”

Yea…. they WILL be moist….. I prayed

I looked around and used whatever I had in the pantry and fridge, very proud of my innovation and I thought my culinary skill has improved somewhat after all the cooking shows I have been watching.  Here’s recipe to my juicy meatballs!

Ingredients (Made about 50 small meatballs (each about 3cm in diameter))

2 onions – chopped

1 marinated red chilli – chopped (optional)

1 teaspoon dry herbs of your choice – I used mixed Italian herbs

1 teaspoon paprika

1kg premium beef mince

1 carrot – grated

1 nashi pear or apple – skinned and grated

1 can diced tomato (juice reserved)

2 tablespoon sugar

Salt to taste

1 whole egg or 2 egg whites

¾ cup breadcrumbs

Steps

1. Fry the onions in sufficient oil to coat the pan over medium heat.  Add some butter whenever the pan is looking dry or the onion starts to burn.
2. Add in the red chilli, dry herb and paprika as the onion begins to brown.  Continue frying when the aroma of herbs and chilli develops.  Turn off the heat and let cool.
3. Mix all the rest of the ingredients and seasoning, except for the breadcrumbs, together in a deep pan.  When all is well combined add in the fried onions and breadcrumbs – adjust quantity of the breadcrumb as necessary as you do not want the mixture to be overly dry.  Mix until well combined.
4. Heat a little oil in the fry pan.  Make meatballs and fry them in the pan over low heat until cooked through.  Rest before serving.
5. For a time-saving option, brown the meatballs in a little oil on all sides and continue to cook them in an oven at 180C for about 7-8 minutes.  Rest in the oven for about 5 minutes after turning off the heat before serving.

Tip

* Serve them as-is or use them in pasta sauce.  I am going to try using them in place of falafel in a kebab bread and see how I go with that!!!

* Hubby bought me a convection microwave oven and I used that instead of the traditional large oven – it is fantastic!  It took only minutes to heat up and only needed 7 to 8 minutes to cook after that!  Look at the energy I’ve saved!

But I often steer away from buying white clothings.  There is always that white top or pair of pants which would catch my eyes in the shopping mall, and I would go to the extent of trying it on.  The end result is often “nuh…. I’ll give it a miss.”

Why, you ask.  Well, for starter, white is often too revealing.  You gotta think about what you wear UNDERNEATH a piece of white apparel, or, you could be giving away way more than what you have planned for!  Then there’s also the challenge of keeping a white piece of clothing, well, WHITE!  Ever notice it’s way too easy to stain a piece of white clothing?  The day I put on a white top would most definitely be the day I spill my coffee or scrape my sleeves against a very dirty car for no apparent reason.  It’s just ridiculous how difficult it is to maintain a white top!

Which incidentally brings me to an interesting thought I had this morning – the similarity between, say, a white top and a Christian believer.  When you declare yourself a Christian, you would have people pointing out to you that you have sinned – “Hey, you did that and that was way too wrong!”  It shows up too quickly and is more outstanding than others.

This morning I read an article by a theologian on embracing faith.  His belief is that each one of us has one but we often do not have the wisdom (and guts, I would say) to admit it.  I could not believe the number of negative comments his post received.  One of the comments referred to actions of Catholic priests which have been exposed of late, that if that’s what “faith” is representative of, then the commentator would rather be an atheist.  As a disclaimer, I in no action nor form condone the actions of the priests, but it just proves my point that when you are a believer (my famous white top), your sins (my cappuccino stains) are more controversial (sticks out like a sore thumb)!

The truth is, and this is what God says in the Bible, sinning is human; whether or not you are a believer.  For the ones who choose to believe have a relationship with God and have the privilege of receiving forgiveness for your sins and receive the unconditional love only a Creator is capable of giving.

“Come now, let’s settle this,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
I will make them as white as wool.”

Isaiah 1:18

Where does it leave my white top then?  Well, any top is susceptible to staining, so get over it Sister!

(Failing which, there’s always the trustworthy bleach!)

It wasn’t particularly exciting – we all know about the “theory” on prayers – do it regularly, it’s a conversation between God and us, God loves it, it’s spiritual…. – what more do we need to learn except to get to it!?

But one thing really stood out for me this week.  On any particular day when we pray for our non-believing friends and relatives, one thing I usually pray is ask God to “open their eyes and hearts so that they may know the Lord.”  Well, how about this, the pastor suggested, “open up MY eyes and heart, Lord, teach me ways to bring Christ’s love into their lives; show me areas where they need your provision and love.”?

It’s true, without knowing what the non-believers need we can’t fill the void that this world cannot offer.  Remembering the first time I could believe in the Lord’s provision was when I could not find comfort from worldly things – the peace that believing in a living God offered.