Words of Widsom

Week 5

A TURNING POINT

Focus

The ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines for seven months. ²Then the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, ‘What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us what we should send with it to its place.’ ³They said, ‘If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt-offering. Then you will be healed and will be ransomed;^* will not his hand then turn from you?’ ⁴And they said, ‘What is the guilt-offering that we should return to him?’ They answered, ‘Five gold tumours and five gold mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for the same plague was upon all of you and upon your lords. ⁵So you must make images of your tumours and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps he will lighten his hand on you and your gods and your land. ⁶Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After he had made fools of them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?   [1 Samuel 6:1-6 NRSV]

Facts

• The Presence of the unseen God, made 'flesh', in this human house called the ark, shows the Omnipotence of God.
• This ark, the 'flesh' place of Almighty God among His people, was human enough to be captured by the enemy and divine enough to control the enemy. The ark, made of corruptible wood, bore the incorruptible, who for many months, stayed in the midst of the enemy.  Power from the captured ark continued to flow daily, right there in enemy territory.

• This was the enemy's Turning Point! The Philistines could no longer keep Israel's property from them. The very Presence of that which they were able to take from God's people, has become the daily unresolved and unmanageable bane of their lives. Too much pain! Too much suffering! Too many defeats! The Inflicting Hand of Israel's God was now too much on them, their gods and their land. They just wanted to return the ark.  

Freedom

Our unseen God still delights in having Himself dwell with His people in the ways He chooses. Will you see His Word as our ark today? Does not God's Word take on human form as His Spirit dwells in us? If you dare believe in the Lord's divine presence with us, then dare to believe that His human presence is with us also. One presence, both divine and human. Also know, when for our disobedience, stubbornness, or downright arrogance, God Himself brings defeat to us and His Word is taken from us by the enemy called doubt, worry or even self pity, remember!  Remember in repentance and thanksgiving.
Thank God  Almighty that His Word remains ever Powerful.
Thank Him that He will cause the Turning Point of the enemy through His own captured Word.
Thank Him  that He still is in control, though His Word abides with the enemy for a time.
The turning point of the enemy is all God's doing. Look, wait and see what God is able to do for His penitent people.