Whose Sense?

Regardless of personal opinions regarding war, we all owe our deep respect and gratitude to the soldiers who serve our country. They fight, defend, protect, and secure us—accomplishing everything within their power to ensure our freedom and safety. The minds and experience of our military leadership astound anyone who lends an ear, and their selfless dedication to our country too often goes unnoticed.
God blesses America far beyond our ability to comprehend, and each individual experiencing the freedom within our country should ardently pray for those He installed as our leaders. Even if we vehemently disagree with our leaders or find ourselves disgusted with the politics that rampage our government, God charges us to pray. No leader reaches heights of power without God’s permission, and He challenges us to trust Him and storm His throne on behalf of all our leaders—brilliant or not.
Obviously, beseeching God on behalf of our leaders comes easier when they make decisions we agree with. But what if they draw lines in the sand that make us squirm? Average citizens aren’t privy to the information our leaders sift through when making decisions, and sometimes, we find ourselves pleasantly surprised in hindsight when a decision turns out for the best. (Though, these moments admittedly occur less seldom as time progresses).
Unlike America, ancient Israel operated in a theocracy—meaning God alone served as their King and government. He installed prophets and judges to enforce His laws and serve as His hands and feet (police officers, if you will) among the people. Ultimately, any human leadership readily acknowledged their submission to God’s authority.
Once such leader, ordained by God to serve as a prophet and leader among His people grew from a childhood of ministry service and thrived in the calling God placed on his life. Samuel remained faithful to God and humbled himself before God’s authority and leadership even when he reached prominence among the people of Israel. He endured several years of Israel’s rebellion on several occasions, yet also witnessed their desperate returns to God.
One such return followed a brutalizing defeat at the hand of the Philistine army. After 20 years of suffering its effects, Israel returned to God and began following Samuel’s ordained leadership over them. When life seemed peachy, chaos loomed around the corner. The Philistines once again formed their troops around Israel with intent to attack, and Israel threw themselves at the mercy of God’s feet via Samuel.
Imagine the scenario for a moment. Grave enemies surrounded Israel and slowly inched in to their territory. Israel existed without significant military or leadership, just recently recommitting themselves to the Lord. Training eluded them, and unpreparedness punctuated every aspect of their leadership and functionality as a people. In the midst of political and social destitution, they find themselves an easy target for a greatly feared enemy posing to launch their arrow of death. Israel easily could’ve coined the “freak out” market with this one.
Instead, they turn to God by pleading with Samuel to pray and intercede with God on their behalf. Samuel obliges, and we enter into a ridiculous scene.
Normal people would franticly prepare for attack running around, embracing loved ones, hiding in the most creative of places—all in a last-ditch effort to survive. Not Israel. Instead, they attend a church service. They worship God and focus intently on Him, supporting Samuel as their liaison all the way. The louder the Philistines pound their chests, the more adamant Israel grows in their steadfastness. They choose to invest in the weapon of faith over traditional weapons of war.
To the world, this approach amounts to utter foolishness and senselessness. No rational bunch of human beings sing praises and worship God when the enemy places an enormous bulls eye on their backs!  The military elite of our country would hardly substantiate this as a viable course of action. But God once again reveals how His truth and this sinful world diametrically oppose one another.
Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel. The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them down as far as below Beth-car…so the Philistines were subdued and they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
1 Samuel 7:10-11, 13
God rewards the feeble faith of His people by shattering worldly categories. Israel contributed nothing to this victory. God immersed the Philistine army with confusion and forced them into positions as sitting ducks before the ill-equipped and broken Israel. All glory belongs to God, and only in Him did Israel find victory.
Samuel remained faithful, and God used him to draw Israel back to faith. When a test of faith arrived, Israel passed by clinging to God and His sovereign leadership rather than worthless means of personal protection. The account challenges us on several fronts, yet one shining with distinct sheen causes us to ponder the object of our trust.
The natural five senses God designed us with get us far, but only in this world. When we surrender to Christ, we gain another sense—one that renders us with spiritual gifts, abilities, and insights. He endows us with His perception, if only we’ll choose to embrace it.
Israel embraced God’s sense over their own. Whose sense do you abide in every day? Let God’s Word challenge you to shatter the fallible categories we so quickly place Him in and awake to the realization of His divine sovereignty and purpose in our lives. Only His sense matters. Tune into His, even if it means surrendering your own.