Freedom, oh freedom!
That night Saul divided his men into three groups, and at dawn they rushed into the enemy camp and attacked the Ammonites. By midday they had slaughtered them. The survivors scattered, each man running off by himself.
Then the people of Israel said to Samuel, ‘Where are the people who said that Saul should not be our king? Hand them over to us, and we will kill them!’
But Saul said, ‘No one will be put to death today, for this is the day the LORD rescued Israel.’
(verses 11-13)
Read 1 Samuel 11: 1-15
There’s nothing like a resounding and courageous victory to shore up support and bring confidence to the team. Saul gets the people’s vote of confidence, and, more importantly, the support of the ‘people who matter’ after this defeat of the enemy.
There is another greater king who took on a far greater enemy with far more courage, paying the ultimate price for victory. He didn’t do it for the popular vote or to strengthen political support; he did it to set the whole world free from captivity to evil. He came and set the captives free, gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf and proclaimed that in him the year of the Lord’s favour had come.
Celebrate the event of your lifetime this day and give thanks to your victorious king, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as king forever. Long live the king!
Lord Jesus thank you for sacrificing yourself for me, so that I am now free to be your co-worker in freeing others. Bring freedom and peace to your people everywhere. Amen.
by Adrian Kitson, in ‘Renewed Hope for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2000)
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