So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah. Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. (1 […]
Read More Sam’s 1st Epic 16 – Man with the Spirit“Oh no, Christopher, not another football related blog entry!” Oh come on, it’s not all about football. It’s just that there are some handy lessons from football that apply to other areas of life. For example, an adage in the game is to keep on playing until the final whistle. It doesn’t take that long […]
Read More Until The Final WhistleWhy did you not obey the Lord ? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord ?” (1 Samuel 15:19 NIV) This episode in the life of Saul and the initial run of human monarchy in Israel is among the most tragic. It’s not as though Saul […]
Read More Sam’s 1st Epic 15 – That’s Torn ItOne reading of the 14th chapter of 1 Samuel is a king in disarray. His son goes off with his armour-bearer without anyone noticing and duly starts the routing of the enemy. Meanwhile Saul afflicts his already beleaguered troops with a charge that they are not to eat anything until he gets revenge on the […]
Read More Sam’s 1st Epic 14 – In DisarrayI went somewhere from where I am. On returning I wanted to take my family to where I went in story form. I looked at my daughters and remembered where they were. I looked at my wife and remembered where she was. I remembered where I had been and its wonders and beauty. Somehow I […]
Read More About Bridges Concisely“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him […]
Read More Sam’s 1st Epic 13 – Forgetting Your PlaceI love resourceful people. The ability to make the most of what is at hand to produce something of function and excellence in that function always makes me applaud to their credit. My wife and my brother are two remarkably resourceful people. It’s in hanging around them over recent years that I have really grown […]
Read More Resources at HandBut be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish.” (1 Samuel 12:24-25 NIV) It must have been a very emotional occasion. Samuel wasn’t dying. One of the […]
Read More Sam’s 1st Epic 12 – Samuel’s WarningIn many ways, for King Saul, it was the best of times. Newly acknowledged as King over Israel, he faced his first crisis and this would be crucial in deciding what kind of king he would be. His people under siege to the Ammonite under a threat of great humiliation. Saul’s response to the siege […]
Read More Sam’s 1st Epic 11 – Saul to the RescueSamuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!” (1 Samuel 10:24 NIV) Chapters 9-11 form a neat trilogy of the rise of the king. Chapter 10 is the truly transformative […]
Read More Sam’s 1st Epic 10 – The Appointment of Saul
Life With CD 