Monday, April 17: 1Samuel 5- The Lord is real and he is alive.

The Ark was not magical, but it was filled with the presence of the Lord.   When the Lord wants to manifest His presence, He can and will.

God was not going to be manipulated by Israel, especially since sin was the root cause of Israel’s defeat (yesterday’s chapter) but the Lord chose to prove Himself before a pagan god.

The Lord’s desire is that His name is revered by all people. The Philistines may not have worshipped the Lord but they certainly revered His presence and power!

After chewing on all this I switched from then to now.

Do I revere the Lord? How have I seen the Lord show Himself in presence and power?

I have not seen grand miracles on the scale of what I read in the Bible… but I believe them. The greatest miracle of all is the resurrection of Jesus, which we celebrated yesterday. Jesus has touched my life in too many ways for me to include here but as I sit, acts and blessings of God flash through my memory.

The Lord is real and I would stake my life on that!

His presence at times is palpable.  I have felt His presence during worship and at countless other times. This morning I woke up singing His praises. The Lord God had been with me all night.

The Lord is real and I would stake my life on that! Halleluiah!

Jesus Christ is risen today (and tomorrow and the next day...) Alleluia! Amen.