July 19, 2024 

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 2:18-36

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 2:18-36; Acts 15:22-41

And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever. (1 Samuel 2:35)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This past school year, I taught Old Testament class at our local Lutheran High School. When we made it into the book of 1 Samuel, we were still in the “Judges” mindset of things, when “there was no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” (Judges 17:6, 21:25) And this seemed to be the case in the early chapters of 1 Samuel, too. Eli was the priest and judge at that time, and the young boy Samuel was in his care. But Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phineas, were worthless. That’s not my opinion, it’s in the text! (1 Samuel 2:12) They were worthless because they took larger portions of peoples’ sacrifices than they were authorized to take (2:13-16); they took advantage of the women who served at the tabernacle (2:22); and if all that wasn’t enough, we’re told that they didn’t know the LORD (2:12). Priests who didn’t know the LORD?! How could that be?! Believe it or not, there are “pastors” in “churches” today who teach a kind of agnosticism that says there “might” be a God…MIGHT?! Maybe you can tell that I’m a little fired up about this. It turns out that, in the case of Hophni and Phineas, Eli’s parenting was to blame. He attempted to correct them… but it didn’t work; it wasn’t enough. God’s will was to raise up another… a faithful priest to serve Him. Now, we’re tempted to think this is Samuel. I mean, he takes over the priesthood after Eli and his sons die. He’s a faithful priest, prophet, and judge. But this is one of those times when widening our gaze to look beyond the first likely candidate is helpful. And yes, looking past Samuel, we see the perfect Priest, Prophet, and King– Jesus Himself. In Christ, God has established His house forever. You, dear Christian, and all who call upon the name of Jesus for salvation have been given a place in that household, free from the fear of ever being deemed worthless; God delights in you for the sake of His righteousness! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty and most gracious God and Father, we implore You to turn the hearts of all who have forsaken the faith once delivered to Your Church, especially those who have wandered from it or are in doubt through the corruption of Your truth. Mercifully visit and restore them that in gladness of heart they may take pleasure in Your Word and be made wise to salvation through faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

-Rev. Dustin Beck is pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Corpus Christi, TX.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

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