Wednesday, April 23: 1Samuel 4- Utterly sad.

What God spoke toward the end of chapter 3 comes to pass in today’s reading. God means what He says and says what He means.

Reading chapter 4, I found myself considering the Ark of the Covenant, God’s footstool among His people since Mt Sinai. There is no mistaking the narrative, when Eli hears that the Ark has been captured, he falls over and dies. The shock is too much for him.

Then through Eli’s daughter-in-law the gravity of the situation is pronounced. She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. She said, “The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured” (21-22).

Her statement tumbled and tumbled in my thoughts… the glory has departed from Israel.

The Lord God is Israel’s glory and with the Ark captured, His glory is gone from among His people. That is Eli’s shock.

I sat in silence wondering what it would be like to have God’s presence and glory removed… to have all the forms and rituals of the faith without the presence of God?

Utterly sad. These were the only words that came to mind. Utterly sad.

Lord, God, may I never experience this.

As I am praying I thought, Oh my, is that what Jesus experienced on the cross when He cried, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46).

Jesus, You willingly went to that forsaken place so that those who believe might know redemption, forgiveness, atonement, reconciliation… Oh, Jesus, I have no words.

You did that for me. You did that for us. Praise be Your name, Jesus. Praise be to You, my Lord and my God. Amen.