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REFLECTON

The theme for our reflection is “The people turn back to God” To turn back to God is a sign of repentance. We shall reflect on the fact that when we turn back to God, we shall experience His redemptive power. In 1 Samuel 7, after twenty years with the Ark of the Covenant, Samuel calls Israel to repent, purging foreign gods and serving the LORD alone. At Mizpah, the people confess their sins, and Samuel offers a lamb sacrifice. God responds with thunder, confusing the Philistine army, which the Israelites then defeat, driving them out. Samuel sets up an “Ebenezer” stone as a reminder of God’s help, and he judges Israel for the rest of his life.

Beloved in the Lord, returning to God is the only way we can please God and experience His glory and redemptive power. It is for this reason that “…all the people of Israel turned back to the LORD. 3 So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only. (1 Samuel 7:2-4) Dear friend, to renew a conscious relationship with the divine, it is essential to abandon sin and worldliness. This requires true repentance, unwavering faith, a strong desire for spiritual growth, and a committed pursuit of God’s will and commands in every aspect of life.

Again, we experience Ebenezer when we turn to Christ and have been redeemed from sin. We become beneficiaries of God’s mercy, grace and redemptive power. This is what happened in the life of the Israelites when they repented and shunned idol worship. The Lord listened to their prayers and gave them victory over their enemy, the Philistines. Ebenezer! “Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.” So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah. Now, when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. And Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him. As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car. Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the LORD has helped us.” (1 Samuel 7:5-12) When God reigns in our hearts and we dedicate our lives to Him entirely by worshipping Him as our creator and sustainer of life, we shall continually experience His glory or presence in our lives, and our enemies will be defeated. Do you know how many people have prayed against your progress and development? Do you know how your enemies have worked tirelessly to see you fail in life? Do you know how many people at your workplace, in your business and even in your family wish you were dead or sick and bedridden? Do you know the evil plans being orchestrated by your enemies against your life and family? Ebenezer, the Lord has given you victory, and this is how far He has brought you and your family. He has promised to be with you always so long as you remain faithful to Him by worshipping Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30)

In summary, we have been greatly reminded that when we turn back to God, we shall experience His redemptive power. Let us live a life of repentance and obedience to the Lord. Shalom.

PRAYER

May the Holy Spirit empower us to turn to the Lord in truth and in spirit so that we shall continually experience His redemptive power and victory in our lives. Amen.