Seized By The Power of A Great Affection...

A Heart Refined with Rachel Menard
Jul 10
4 min read

I started thinking about how much Jesus has changed my responses. I'm not saying that the reactive spazz I was before never appears. Oh goodness..she does occasionally, but not anywhere near the rate she used to!

The change in me that blows my mind is the joy and worship that floods my soul when everything around me says it shouldn’t. I am amazed by the power of Jesus living inside of me that drives me back to the feet of Jesus when everything else tells me to roll up in a ball and quit. I am in awe of the tender affection He has given me!

1 Samuel 7 is a sweet story of submission, confession, worship, attack, and beautiful surrender. Samuel was telling the Israelites that if they really wanted to surrender their hearts to God, they would have to lay down all other gods, “[setting] their hearts on Him, and worship ONLY Him”, and from there He would surely rescue them from the Philistine army (v 3). So they put away their gods and followed Samuel to Mizpah, where they “drew water and poured it out in the Lord’s presence. They fasted and confessed, “We have sinned against [you], Lord.” (V 6)

‭‭When the Philistines heard about all this, they went to attack, but Samuel pressed his people to keep worshipping as he prayed on their behalf. There he gave a lamb (there’s no coincidence there) as an offering to the Lord (v 9), and the Lord answered by “[thundering] loudly against them, [throwing] them into such a confusion” that the Israelites could defeat them (v 10).

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Look at this beautiful picture, y’all!! All of it! Through Samuel, God gave His people very specific direction for submission and confession. He also gave them the promise of protection AFTER that obedience.

First, they had to take a STEP 1...a step of faith and obedience!

It’s a little crazy to think about, though, because when they began to lay themselves and pour themselves out, THEN THEY WERE ATTACKED. But do you see what God did…Just like he defeated the Egyptians by bringing them into the middle of the sea and drowning them, He brought the Philistines right out front so the Israelites could put them in their place. Once again, the Israelites saw God work on their behalf firsthand!!!

“After all of this happened, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer”. That means “The Lord has helped us to this point. So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israel’s territory again. The Lord’s hand was against the Philistines all of Samuel’s life.” (v12-13)

The chapter ends with a quick survey of God’s continued great work of rescue and restoration, and Samuel builds another altar to worship. He was stepping back in awe of the mighty victory that God had allowed them to be a part of, with confidence, He would continue to be their faithful deliverer. I can only imagine how full his heart must have been there at that altar! He seized by the great power and love of God. His heart overflowed because of who HE IS what he had seen Him do!

Now, of course, I am no Samuel, and this story is not about me. However, I am a girl who has watched God do these very same things in relative ways!! He has given me specific directions for submission and confession. I’ve watched a direct attack happen right smack dab in the middle of a life filled with worship. I’ve watched God keep His promises, and every time His faithful love seizes me, driving me to love and obey Him more.

So here I am, raising a stone -- MY EBENEZER -- with a heart filled with reverence and love and profound desire to trust and obey, “The Lord has helped us to this point.” I’m building an altar with a heart bent towards God, who saves, restores, and redeems all things, towards Jesus the Lamb who IS patience, protection, perseverance, hope, and love, and the Spirit of Jesus who counsels me according to the heart of God!

Sisters...what about you?! Aren't you ready to let go of the life that God is not a promise keeper? Aren't you ready to believe Him to be who He says He is? Aren't you ready to believe that He loves you? Aren't you ready to enjoy Jesus?! Let today be that day!!

Enjoy God's promise of protection that was secured through the life, death, and resurrection of His perfect Son. Be seized and forever changed by that great affection, lay down your burdens, and lift up your praise! He is worthy of it all!