March 21, 2026 - 1 Samuel 7-10

Eli and his sons were gone.  Now, Samuel began to judge Israel:  “And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’  So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the LORD only’” (7:3-4).  Now, we know that Israel had grievously spurned the Lord for the idols.  How deep was their treachery!  I’m thinking about this in the context of Harvard University, the campus of which we visited, yesterday.  It’s certainly not John Harvard’s Harvard!  There, looming majestically over Harvard Square is the University Church.  It’s beautiful, from distance and, then, as you get closer, you begin to notice all the liberal/progressive posters and flags, none of which have anything to do with the gospel.  And there at the entrance gate, actually, off in a corner and hidden behind a tree, is an old inscription thanking God for his good providence.  I suspect the Harvard community is embarrassed by that inscription.  So, where am I going with all this?  God raised up Samuel, and the nation was delivered from its surrounding enemies.  As so often the case with Israel, any awakening and return to the Lord was not lasting; nevertheless, we know that God can turn a people, a nation, a university, an institution toward himself.  We stood for awhile and just reflected on what that might look like at Harvard.  Let us seek God to this end.  God, let it be so!

Father, hear the prayer we offer:

not for ease that prayer shall be,

but for strength that we may ever

live our lives courageously.

Not for ever in green pastures

do we ask our way to be;

but the steep and rugged pathway

may we tread rejoicingly.

Not for ever by still waters

would we idly rest and stay;

but would smite the living fountains

from the rocks along our way.

Be our strength in hours of weakness,

in our wanderings be our guide;

through endeavour, failure, danger,

Father, be thou at our side.   -- Love M. Whitcomb Willis (1859)