What Looked Like a Loss | 1 Samuel 5 | Crossroads Daily

but like Escally escalate right like my community is out of control. There's stuff in our country that is out of control There's stuff in our world. There's out of control and it's so easy to be like oh my gosh like who will save us? And it's like oh, we have a savior We have a savior and he's not ringing his hands. Mm-hmm. You know God doesn't have a war room in heaven where he's coming up with plan B Like he knows all that's happened and he reigns above it all This is the Crossroads daily no experts no perfect people just honest conversations about what happens when the Bible shows up in real life Hello, I'm Chuck. I'm Jamie. I'm Peter. I'm Jordan and this is first Samuel Samuel. Who is Samuel? I don't know that it's first Samuel chapter five Am I the only one that I feel like this is comic relief in the Bible It's a powerful statement, but it feels like comic relief It's like you know they capture the arc Phil sneeze are like our gods better than your god We're gonna put your little god next to our god our big god I'm assuming that you know it was a all kind of idle rice at you And then they wake up and keep fighting their god face down. So what does this tell you about God's character? God didn't lose that war or he didn't lose that battle The nation of Israel lost the battle. He was still as powerful and as like the supreme authority, but in I just I do think I think God has a sense of humor He's like but I'm gonna wait until I'm in this room With this idol that means nothing right no one's around and then when the people wake up they're gonna be like What it like reminds me of like at Christmas with the alpha on a shelf where it's like What did they get up to and like I just think yeah God is like no my authority my power? It has nothing to do with what's going on in your guys and circumstances. I am who I am yeah, I Think about the way that God communicates truth in so many different ways We think about it has to be through a person or has to be through a message or sermon or something like God's just actively Communicating with the Philistines in this. I mean this is like he's like you guys. I'm God not this Yeah, you know and and in a way there's an opportunity for them to believe It feels really dark It feels really like because there's like people dying and there's tumors and there's other things happening in this chapter

It's tough right and because they're not honoring him But there is still an invitation there even in the heart in the harshness of it or even in the Just because some of you are just because God's communicating his power or his sovereignty does not mean that it's still not loving That's right in a certain way. Yeah. Yeah God's able to hold that intention, right? Yeah, I'm utterly in control and yet I'm also utterly loving and inviting you into relationship with me even the Philistines even the Philistines I'm thinking about Times in my life where I feel like I've Lost something or even times in my life where I'm looking at The bad guy and he wins. Yeah, you know like somebody in my life I don't like or that I judge or clearly look at like man there How are they winning how they got the nice car that I know they're not following God You know like I just get real jaded and all of that Yeah, and it's really cool for me to be like the spectator into a story Yeah, and to think about things like I have no idea how God's working in that situation or scenario potentially inviting this person or this thing that I have created this like No, they're too far got you know or whatever and going like whoa God could totally be Working through this moment in ways that I cannot see and then it's also encouraging for me as someone who wants to follow God going Even when I mess it up That doesn't mean that I've lost you know the ability to reconnect with God or again that my decisions have anything to do with God and his his goodness Yeah, no, it's so good. Yeah, I said it's comic relief Just because it reads it's funny to me. Yeah in reality It also says something about the nature of the world I mean, you know the New Testament Paul puts it very clearly says if you don't wrestle against flesh and blood But he has spiritual powers Municipalities rulers in high places and so what I believe is that day gone this God was a demon I believe there was a demonic presence that had authority and sway in The nation of Philistine I believe that

And what I believe that God was doing even though the idol to your point was meaningless in the sense that And what God is declaring by making that spirit fall is authority over that spirit. And I think that's something that we just have to remember. Like, this is a game, I keep using the word game. This is a world with many levels. And there is a level of spiritual reality that I think we can just be blind to or ignore or we minimize or we try to intellectualize our way around it. One of the great things about following the God of Israel, the God who made everything, is that like Jesus says of himself, all authority he says has been given to me. And that means authority over the spirit realm too. And I think there's something in this chapter for us to remember that no matter when things feel like they're out of control, our God is in control. He is utterly in control. That doesn't mean there's not evil. I mean, obviously we don't have to look far to see it, but he is utterly in control. And I've been thinking, it's just interesting, I was thinking about this chapter. I was thinking about the song that we sing. I'm not going to sing it, but I'll just say the words. We sing, "You reign above it all. "You reign above it all over the universe and over every heart." There is no higher name Jesus, you reign above it all. And I think that's also powerfully kind of centered in this passage as well. So what kind of emotions does it stir in you to know

that you serve a God who reigns above it all? I mean, I think there's a broad spectrum. I think there's confidence, there's comfort, there's those, oh, I'm on the winning side, so to speak, in the spiritual war, in this, in this, you know, there's that side of it. And there's also a level of, I think, healthy fear. But I was talking about the fear of the Lord. - Yeah, yeah. - And I don't, it's not talking about fear in that anxiety, depression-producing sense of fear, but the awe, the understanding of our place in that cosmic universe. That we are not our own gods and also that we're not asked to fight at that level, which is also that's a comfort too. So it's just a continual understanding and reminder 'cause we are tempted to raise ourselves up. Where am I at in this cosmic hierarchy? And it's spoiler alert, not at the top. (all laughing) - Yeah. - It's good. What other emotions does it evoke for you all? - There's also some conviction 'cause I don't, I don't know that, I don't have to pretend. I don't always put God in that seat. Like regardless, it's his seat, but that position of authority. And so like reading through this and listening to it, there's this like, I just have to acknowledge

that I don't always get it right. And so there's conviction, but there's not shame because that's not from him. Like that's not a part of my relationship with God. And so just like that, like it's a good reminder too. So I think there's encouragement in it as much as I'm like, oh yeah, I can pinpoint times when I put you, I put something else in that authority seat, God. But also like, I'm just so thankful. - Yeah. - Yeah, this is like a really simple thought. I just think like, it's kind of a weird story. And God works in so many mysterious odd ways. I realize I'm such like a, I just want it straight up. God, just make it, I think we talk about clarity a lot also and circles of walking with faith. And that's even like funny and of itself. Like faith's like, right, the whole idea that you're probably not going to have clarity in a lot of instances. And so it's a cool reminder for me as I look at the story for like God can and will use silly things and funny things and odd things that make no sense. And they're teachable moments. And it's a reminder for me to go like, oh yeah, it's not always going to be as plain and simple as I'd like it to be. And I can look for God in the odd, whacked out things. And that's where he shows up. - Yeah, no, I love that, I love that.

It makes me feel relief, just relief because my world is out of control. And I'm just talking about like the four people I live with in the schedule, but like, eskly, eskly, right? Like my community is out of control. There's stuff in our country that is out of control. There's stuff in our world that is out of control. And it's so easy to be like, oh my gosh, like, who will save us? And it's like, oh, we have a savior. We have a savior and he's not ringing his hands, you know? God doesn't have a war room in heaven where he's coming up with Plan B. Like he knows all that's happened and he rains above it all. So like there's a lot of relief that I get with that. We went to Yosemite this summer and got to go to the Vernal Fall, which is one of the falls. You kind of hike up to the whole fall. And I'm always amazed at the power of water. Water wins, period. - Yeah. - It doesn't matter what it is. We had a lot of rain and stuff. Water wins. Some of you have the basement impact of water winning. Some of you know what it is like. Me, I'm in you, right? Water wins, and even though as powerful as water is,

who is the one who said to the water muzzle? It's our God, it's Jesus. And so I think today, as you think about this crazy wax story, it's wild, but it's in the Bible. And I think if anything, it may be in there just to help us remember that whatever level we're talking about, the spiritual level, the human level, the personal level, God is reigning above it all, and you can trust Him. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music)