Drenched By The Divine | 1 Samuel 12:15-18

Vince Miller Podcast

What seen events have drenched your faith in the unseen God?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are in 1 Samuel 12. I've titled this chapter "God is Faithful When We Are Not."

Remember, the nation of Israel is gathered at Gilgal. Samuel is proclaiming his final and historic address before the entire nation:

But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king. Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for yourselves a king.” So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. — 1 Samuel 12:15-18

This is awesome because, you see, Samuel is no ordinary teacher. He's not some big-name Christian influencer, pastor, and teacher upheld by public popularity. He's the Lord's anointed Judge and Prophet who was faithful from beginning to end. When Samuel spoke, he spoke on behalf of the Lord, not himself, and never to gain any form of public popularity but to drive the people back to the Lord.

But it's the timing of this event and inauguration that is interesting. It happened during the wheat harvest, which means nothing to you, but it meant everything to them. They were an agrarian culture, so they relied on the production of the land. To them, harvest was everything. It was their sustenance for the coming year, and they happened to be gathering on this day.

But note: wheat harvest began during early summer when it never rained. Therefore, a sudden thunderstorm and rain would have been a bizarre and unusual occurrence.

So now, imagine Samuel speaking. As he closes, he points out their wickedness and calls the people to repent and obey. He prays that God will confirm his exhortation to them with a natural but unlikely event. As he prays behind him, a storm system blows in. Exposed in the valley of Gilgal, thunder roars, lightning strikes, and the people are drenched by an inescapable rain and the might of an inescapable God.

Many in this life believe they can escape the reality of God. We think we can outthink and outmaneuver God, but eventually, sin rains down on us all, and we are drenched by the inescapable reality that God is the only one who can save. He is the unseen God who is King over all seen things. And sometimes God uses seen yet unexplainable events to communicate that he is still there, still working, and still saving.

Recently, our first grandchild entered this world. Everett was born accidentally at home three months early while my daughter put on her pants in the bathroom. Within minutes, EMTs were at her home. They cut the cord and rushed Everett off to the hospital. On the way to the hospital, an EMT held him in his hands as he stopped breathing. They tried to resuscitate him and were unsure if their efforts on this tiny child were effective. But with God and a lot of prayers from people like you, Everett is home. He is alive and well. It was a wild ride. Today, Everett is almost 12 pounds, and he is thriving. God has drenched our lives using this small child to show us the inescapable reality of an awesome God.

Here's my question for you today: What "seen" events have drenched you in the reality of our "unseen" God? Recall one, and share it with someone today. Drench them in the reality of God.

#FaithInAction, #UnseenGod, #DivineIntervention

Ask This:

1. How have unexpected or extraordinary events in your life helped you recognize the presence and faithfulness of God, even when He seemed unseen?
2. In what ways can you share your experiences of God’s intervention with others to encourage them in their own faith journeys?

Do This:

Share the seen events of God with others.

Pray This:

Lord, thank You for revealing Your presence through the unexpected events in my life and reminding me of Your unwavering faithfulness. Help me to see and share Your work in my daily experiences, trusting in Your unseen power and grace. Amen.

Play This:

My Life Is Proof.