Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Samuel 7:10 (New Living Translation)

Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them.

This verse was written during the time of the prophet Samuel. The Philistines were about to attack God’s people. They were in a good position when viewed from military science.

The Israelites defeated the Philistines. Thunder confused the Philistines. The thunder came from the mighty voice of God.

Well, that doesn’t make any sense. Well, that makes perfectly good sense. Loud noise is disorienting. That is why fans scream loudest when the other team is trying to do something in a sport. There is a physical pressure put on the brain by loud noise. God thundered in the ears of the Philistines; they stumbled in confusion.

Simple. Effective. And something that makes me wonder. If it rains today, is that just another rainy day or is God using rain to tell me something? Am I listening for God?