Maneuvering to Receive God's Blessing
The Israelites were in trouble again. They had just lost 4,000 soldiers in a battle with the Philistines (1 Sam. 4:2). They desperately needed God’s help, so they devised a plan they hoped would secure His blessing. They took the Ark of the Covenant, a symbol of God’s presence, into the next battle, believing it would save them from the hand of their enemies. It didn’t. They lost the battle and the Ark (1 Sam. 4). They put their hope in an object and not God Himself. It reminds me of my own propensity to rely too much on my own abilities and the resources at my disposal. God obviously wants us to use what He has given us; yet, to do so dependent on His guidance and strength.