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This passage has caught my attention. Jane Lambert taught on it in January, and she really breathed some life into it for me.
When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.
They said to Samuel, "Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that He may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines."
Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel's behalf, and the LORD answered.
-1 Samuel 7:7-9
For some reason, I went home from Jane's message and just camped on this passage. I don't normally do that, but I just read it over and over again. Jane had explained that the word Mizpah means watchtower. It symbolizes looking toward the future, moving forward. Which is what I've been doing lately. And then wheels began turning in my brain.
The first week of the year, my church fasts and prays, so fasting was on my brain. Just prior to this passage, the Israelites had returned to the Lord by giving up their gods and idols, as well as fasting & prayer. When you look at fasting biblically, you see that it's more powerful than prayer alone. For example, when Jesus' disciples were disappointed because they encountered a tormenting spirit they couldn't drive out, they asked Jesus what had prevented them. Mark 9:29 reads, He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting." So it seems that fasting adds a punch to prayer. I could use more punch in my spiritual seeking. Check!
Fasting also prepares us. Jesus fasted for 40 days to prepare Himself for ministry. Luke has it that He went into His 40-day fast "full of the Holy Spirit" and came back to Galilee afterwards "in the power of the Spirit" (Luke 4:1, 4:14, NIV). He was empowered by the Holy Spirit after His fast. Power? Yes, I'd like some.
If you zoom out and read the passage, it's like this:
The Israelites were looking to the future in hopes of moving forward, but they were opposed by an army ready to attack them. And they're scared. But they'd been fasting and praying. So they asked Samuel to cry out to God for them. Samuel makes a sacrifice and cries out to the Lord on Israel's behalf, and the Lord answers.
If there's one thing I want, it's to hear from the Lord. To be closer to this God who IS love. And so my good friend Shimmi and I have fasted and prayed for one another for the past 3 days in order to move closer to God. In order to cast out darkness like fear and worthlessness. Because we love each other and care about the other's struggles. We've prayed for God to secure us in His love completely, to pour out his joy and favor, to deepen our faith and freedom, to bring healing.
And He has showed up. The first day of fasting was rough for me. I ended up driving home, crying. I was ambushed by feelings I didn't realize were there. But in the absence of my most common coping mechanism, eating, I prayed. I got quiet, I sought God. And He was there for me. It was like I sank into this reality of Love that just held me close.
I'm really beginning to rest in His love, His provision, without stressing out and trying to fix everything. That's huge for me. I actually went to God with my burdens and laid them down. That's always been very, very difficult for me. And now I'm doing it. And I want to keep doing it.
Praise God! Bring it on!
When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.
They said to Samuel, "Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that He may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines."
Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel's behalf, and the LORD answered.
-1 Samuel 7:7-9
For some reason, I went home from Jane's message and just camped on this passage. I don't normally do that, but I just read it over and over again. Jane had explained that the word Mizpah means watchtower. It symbolizes looking toward the future, moving forward. Which is what I've been doing lately. And then wheels began turning in my brain.
The first week of the year, my church fasts and prays, so fasting was on my brain. Just prior to this passage, the Israelites had returned to the Lord by giving up their gods and idols, as well as fasting & prayer. When you look at fasting biblically, you see that it's more powerful than prayer alone. For example, when Jesus' disciples were disappointed because they encountered a tormenting spirit they couldn't drive out, they asked Jesus what had prevented them. Mark 9:29 reads, He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting." So it seems that fasting adds a punch to prayer. I could use more punch in my spiritual seeking. Check!
Fasting also prepares us. Jesus fasted for 40 days to prepare Himself for ministry. Luke has it that He went into His 40-day fast "full of the Holy Spirit" and came back to Galilee afterwards "in the power of the Spirit" (Luke 4:1, 4:14, NIV). He was empowered by the Holy Spirit after His fast. Power? Yes, I'd like some.
If you zoom out and read the passage, it's like this:
The Israelites were looking to the future in hopes of moving forward, but they were opposed by an army ready to attack them. And they're scared. But they'd been fasting and praying. So they asked Samuel to cry out to God for them. Samuel makes a sacrifice and cries out to the Lord on Israel's behalf, and the Lord answers.
If there's one thing I want, it's to hear from the Lord. To be closer to this God who IS love. And so my good friend Shimmi and I have fasted and prayed for one another for the past 3 days in order to move closer to God. In order to cast out darkness like fear and worthlessness. Because we love each other and care about the other's struggles. We've prayed for God to secure us in His love completely, to pour out his joy and favor, to deepen our faith and freedom, to bring healing.
And He has showed up. The first day of fasting was rough for me. I ended up driving home, crying. I was ambushed by feelings I didn't realize were there. But in the absence of my most common coping mechanism, eating, I prayed. I got quiet, I sought God. And He was there for me. It was like I sank into this reality of Love that just held me close.
I'm really beginning to rest in His love, His provision, without stressing out and trying to fix everything. That's huge for me. I actually went to God with my burdens and laid them down. That's always been very, very difficult for me. And now I'm doing it. And I want to keep doing it.
Praise God! Bring it on!
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