(Originally Written May 29, 2008 in the Journal)
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for this beautiful weather. Than you for the chance to serve and worship you. May the whole world sing your praises for the mighty works you have done. Lord forgive me for my sins. I am weak and contemptible. I am a lonely man Lord. I need the touch of my wife. Why have you taken her from me?
Lord look upon me with pity and mercy. Your servant cries out to you. Do not sit silent and allow me to fall into deeper affliction still. I can only bear so much. Lord I try to thank you for these sufferings but my heart and mind are wary from so much turmoil. Still my heart and quiet my mind so I can use these long few months to reflect on you. Lord teach me to be strong in you. There is no strength but that which comes from you.
Awaken the love for me in her heart. Open her eyes to the treasure of you. Do not give her over to temptations, but make her steadfast in you. Draw her to you so that she cannot escape. I beseech you my God and Savior, reach down your hand and bind us together. Show me the path you wish me to travel. I will follow wherever you lead. Be with my grandmother and ease her pain and discomfort. Strengthen her, if only in heart and soul. Pour out your love upon her so she can feel rest in old age.
Lord look upon me with favor for I need your hope and guidance. My strength is failing but yours will never fail. Lord become the Lord of my life. Take me under your wing and guide me to the way you wish. I will follow you until the end of my days.
Notes on I Samuel
Chapter 13
The Philistines rose up against Israel. While waiting for Samuel men began to leave Saul. Saul then offered a holocaust in anxiety and Samuel told him he was foolish and as a result Saul's line would not continue as the kings of Israel. The Philistines destroyed all the blacksmiths so only Saul and his son had swords. Everyone else sharpened farm tools to fight.
Chapter 14
Jonathan went up with his armor bearer and slew 20 Philistines. The Philistines went into panic and were terror-stricken. The earth shook so violently the panic was beyond human endurance. During the panic, Saul took his men and slaughtered the Philistines. Saul fought and won many victories as king of Israel.
Chapter 15
Samuel told Saul to doom all of Amalek for their mistreatment of Israel. However, they doomed only what was worthless and kept what was worthwhile. Samuel reproved Saul for his sin stating that obedience is better than sacrifice. He told Saul that because Saul rejected the command of the Lord, the Lord rejected him as a ruler. Samuel left Saul and never saw him again.
Chapter 16
The Lord spoke to Samuel and asked him why he still grieved for Saul. He told him to get up and go to Bethlehem and anoint one of Jesse's sons as the new king. Samuel anointed David, son of Jesse as the new king in accordance with the will of God. The Lord left Saul and an evil spirit began to torment him. They sent for David because he was a skillful harpist and could soothe the evil spirit. Saul grew fond of David and made him his armor-bearer.
Chapter 17
The Philistines gathered against Saul and sent out their champion, Goliath, who was a giant. Goliath called out for a challenger but all of Saul's men were seized with fear. David went to the battle and saw Goliath and was ready to challenge him. He spoke to Saul and Saul said, may the Lord be with you. Goliath mocked David. David called on the name of the Lord. David then slung a stone and embedded it into Goliath's forehead. He then took Goliath's own sword and chopped off his head. The Judahites chased the fleeing Philistines and cut them down. When they returned they looted the Philistine camp.
Chapter 18
David became a successful soldier, winning every mission he went on and Saul grew jealous of David's success. Saul offered his youngest daughter to David as a wife, but required 100 foreskins of the Philistines as a dowry. This was a trap to kill David. David slew two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. Saul gave his daughter to him but became David's enemy because he feared David.
Chapter 19
Saul told Jonathon of his plan to kill David. Jonathan was fond of David so he warned David of Saul's plot. Jonathon then convinced Saul not to kill David. David defeated the Philistines again and Saul tried to kill David, but David escaped. David went to Ramah and told Samuel all of what had happened.
Chapter 20
Jonathon then saved David again from Saul, sending him away from danger.
Chapter 21
David then met with his men and took Goliath's sword up. David fled to Gath, but they recognized him so he pretended to be mad.
Chapter 22
Four hundred men came to David in hiding. A Benjamite then betrayed David to Saul saying that he had seen David with the Priest of Nob. Saul ordered his men to kill the priests of the Lord who aided David but the refused so he told Doeg, who had betrayed David to do it. Doeg killed 85 priests, but one man escaped and told David of the slaughter.
Chapter 23
David then consulted the Lord and went down to Keilah and defeated the Philistines. When Saul learned that David was in Keilah he went down to capture him, but David and his 600 men escaped. David hid out from Saul, but Jonathon went out to see him and assured him that he would be king and Jonathon would be second to him. Saul pursued David, but left because the Philistines invaded Israel.
Chapter 24
David had the chance to kill Saul, but spared his life. He then bowed before Saul and showed him that he could have killed him but did not. Saul became remorseful and acknowledged that David would become king. Saul made David swear not to blot out his line and they separated.
Chapter 25
Samuel died and was buried in Ramah. David went to ask Nabal for some provisions but Nabal refused so David took up arms. Nabal was cold, but his wife Abigal was generous and sent food to David and his men. When Abigail returned Nabal was very drunk. Abigail told Nabal what happened when Nabal sobered up. He grew ill and died 10 days later. David then married Abigail and also Ahinoam of Jezreel. Saul gave away David's first wife (his daughter) to another man.
Chapter 26
David went down to Saul's camp and stole his spear and water jug. He snuck out of the camp without waking anyone because the Lord had put the men of Saul into a deep sleep. David then taunted Abner and made Saul ashamed for hunting David.
Chapter 27
David then fled to Gath and lived with the Philistines. There, Saul no longer pursued him. The king of Gath gave David a city to live in. While living in the Philistine country David would raid the enemies of Israel and kill all the people, but return the spoils to Achish, the king of Gath.
Chapter 28
The Philistines marched against Israel and Achish took David and his men to fight with them at Jezreel. Saul became dismayed at the sight of the Philistines and called upon the Lord, but the Lord would not answer him. Saul then went to a medium to conjure up Samuel from the dead. Samuel told Saul that the Lord would deliver him into the hands of the Philistines and that he would be dead tomorrow.
Chapter 29
The other lords of the Philistines were angry with Achish for bringing David along. They made Achish send David away.
Chapter 30
While David and his troops were away, the Amalekites raided their city and burned it and carried away all of the inhabitants. David tracked them down and killed all but 400 who escaped and rescued the inhabitants that were stolen. He also recovered the loot. David sent some of the loot to the elders of cities in Judah.
Chapter 31
Saul and his sons were killed by the Philistines
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