Differentiation

God was inviting His people to live at a high level of differentiation and experience a great benefit: His nearness. He wanted His people to be secure in their sense of belonging to a a holy God and dramatic in their outward witness. Differentiation has everything to do with identity and purpose: God had given them both.

Apart from the Crowd

to think of Easter crowds and choruses: “He is risen!” How easy it is to worship with the throng on Sunday; especially the high church holidays like Easter and Christmas. How much harder is it to walk the road of repentance toward confession and restoration in a remote location?

Thus Far

Samuel’s use of ‘thus far’ reminds us that we are only as good as our last decision towards God. Holy men fail all the time. We must remain engaged with His word and His Spirit daily or we will backslide. Not may or might, but will.