Then Samuel told them, ‘Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you’ » (l Samuel 7:5, NLT).
GOD’S «FIRE EXTINGUISHER.» That is what one author calls the prophet Samuel. The reason for such a peculiar moniker is that, the entire time that Samuel judged Israel, this man of God was always ready to respond in times of crisis.
Today’s verse mentions one of those times. The ark had been absent for twenty years, and worship of the true God had been replaced by worship of Baal and Ashtoreth. Meanwhile, the Israelites groaned under the Philistine yoke. Then they turned to the man who was always ready to face emergencies.
As was his custom, Samuel summoned everyone to a prayer meeting: «Gather all of Israel to Mizpah,» he commanded, «and I will pray to the Lord for you.» Instead of preparing the men to fight the Philistines, Samuel summoned them for prayer. Was that the best way to face an enemy who was better armed as well as better organized? Yes, it was. First of all, because the Israelites’ true problem was spiritual and not military. They needed to seek God above everything. Second, because in every crisis Samuel saw an opportunity to pray. Wasn’t that what he had learned from Hannah? He had learned from her that prayer is always powerful. In fact, he himself had been born as an answer to her prayers!
When the Philistine princes found out that Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they went up to fight them. Then the Israelites were filled with fear: «Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.» (1 Samuel 7:8). Then Samuel prayed, and the Lord heard him. And my how He heard him! «But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel» (v. 10).
Such is the power of the prayer of faith! Interestingly enough, Hannah had mentioned what happened that day at Mizpah in her prayer of gratitude to God, right after Samuel was born: «He will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; from heaven He will thunder against them» (l Samuel 2:9, 10; emphasis added).
A lot of good can happen when a mother prays as well as when her children learn how to pray!
Dear Lord, like Samuel, I want to develop the habit of being in communion with You: of hearing Your voice in Scripture; of speaking to You in prayer.
I want to make my home a sanctuary where every member of my family can have a personal encounter with You every day. Amen.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
