By the Word of the Lord

As I read back over the last several verses of 1 Samuel 3 I came again to a truth that is too important to not mention.

1 Samuel 3:21, "And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord."

God showed up, manifested His presence, or made Himself known to Samuel through His word. This is precisely why it is crucial for the church to read the Word, pray the Word, sing the Word, and preach the Word. God reveals Himself to us through His word. This is exactly why we must all dedicate ourselves to reading and memorizing God's word. Do you want more of God? Get more Scripture into your mind. Mediate on the word. Talk about the word when you sit down, rise up, or walk along the road. God has made Himself known to us through His Son who is the Word. The Spirit inspired inerrant Scriptures are the word through which God continues to reveal Himself to us. May we not long after 'visions' or 'new revelations' but let us hunger and thirst for God's Word.

Psalm 20 verse 7 shows us Israel's terminal illness exposed in 1 Samuel 4, "some trust in chariots, and some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." The Hebrew people trusted in the ark. They did not trust in the God whose glory hovered over the ark. Without God the ark was worthless. They couldn't see that. Without Christ Sunday worship is worthless. Can you see that? Can I see that?

Faith will be counted to us as righteousness "who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification" (Romans 4:24)

My God, reveal Yourself to me through Your word. Show me Your holiness and Your grace. Show me Your coming judgment on the unrighteous. Show me Your great love for the righteous. Show me the requirement of faith. Show me the sufficient Savior who fills all my requirements. Set my devotion and loyalty on Him. Do not let me be loyal to my strength or the strength of some army or the strength of what others might say. Make me loyal to Christ who is the seed of Abraham. Make me loyal to Christ who fulfills all Your promises. Reveal Christ to me.

In His name
Amen