A Day of Repentance | 1 Samuel 7:3-6

Is it time for us to gather for a day of repentance?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are in 1 Samuel 7. I've titled this chapter "Stand Up And Make A Declaration."

As I have been reading Chapter 7, the thought has been gnawing at me. Is it time for the church to usher in a day of repentance? Listen as I read 1 Samuel 7:3-6:

And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only.

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.  — 1 Samuel 7:3-6

If you've followed me through this book, you've witnessed a narrative unfold. It's the tale of a nation liberated by God from Egypt, who meandered through the desert and was guided into the Promised Land. However, God's nation gradually strays over the next 400 years. The religious leaders become so corrupt and wicked that they lose the Ark and drift far from God. The nation, enduring a twenty-year lament, finds itself without a means to worship or offer sacrifices to God.

But in this moment of national despair, a beacon of hope emerges. Samuel, the final judge of Israel, steps forward. It's important to note that a man of God will guide Israel back, not a policy, president, power, or politician. It's a righteous man with a righteous plan, ready to rally the nation to repentance.

I have read these verses many times this week, and they stir something in me: a desire to call believers in our time to repentance. But before you and I go and get too excited about this, the message that must be delivered is not easy. It's a stern message. It's a divisive message. It's a clarifying message. It's a personal message. It's a message that requires us to declare we stand against the idols of our time, like the:

• Idol of Relativism: that rejects absolute truth and exchanges the truth of God for a lie.
• Idol of Gender Fluidity: that rejects biblical views of God's created order and gender as (binary) male and female.
• Idol of Critical Race Theory: that rejects biblical reconciliation by resurrecting past sins against races, promoting division.
• Idol of Abortion: that rejects the sanctity of life at conception and elevates our rights and us as a god.
• Idol of LGBTQ+ Rights: that rejects biblical teachings on sexuality and marriage.
• Idol of Secularism: that rejects biblical faith and values and marginalizes believers in the marketplace.

But here is the problem with all these idols and ideologies. It's more than just the culture that has welcomed them. It's the church. All of these idols have found their way into the church. Therefore, what Samuel does here is not only courageous but also hard, divisive, clarifying, and personal. It's a call to reject and rid themselves of specific idols, repent, and return to the Lord.

Spiritual change can happen. But it will only occur when a righteous man leads the way. This means we have to repent first and lead the way. It means we must draw some defining lines for ourselves, our families, and the church.

#RepentanceRevival, #ReturnToGod, #SpiritualAwakening

Ask This:

1. How can we identify and confront the idols in our own lives and in our church community?
2. What practical steps can we take today to initiate a personal or communal day of repentance and spiritual renewal?

Do This:

Repent and rid yourselves of idols.

Pray This:

Father, I humbly come before You, seeking Your guidance and strength to identify and remove any idols that have crept into my heart and community so that we may fully turn back to You in repentance and renewal. Amen.

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