Pathways to Purposeਨਮੂਨਾ

I remember the first time I saw someone I deeply admired in the faith walk away from it. It shook me. If they, the person who had shaped so much of my understanding of God, could turn from Him—what did that mean for me? Did it undo everything they had taught me? Did I have to throw away the truth I had learned through them?

It felt unsettling. It felt wrong.

And that’s exactly how 1 Samuel 5 feels. Unsettling. Wrong. The Ark of the Covenant—the very presence of God—had been captured by the enemy. It had been taken from the Israelites, and now, it sat in the temple of Dagon, a man-made idol.

The holy, living God, placed alongside a statue crafted by human hands. The Philistines thought they had won. But their idol was brought down, and then brought down again—this time shattered. God wasn’t about to share His glory.

And then, without a single Israelite lifting a weapon, the Philistines themselves began to fall. They thought they had conquered Israel’s God, but the truth was inescapable: He was not a God to be defeated. And here’s the most mind-blowing part—He wasn’t just fighting this battle for His own name’s sake. He was fighting it for His people.

At this time in history, that was Israel—God’s chosen people, the ones He had set apart. “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God… His treasured possession” (Deut. 7:6). And yet, they weren’t exactly a picture of faithfulness. The previous chapters show us that they had neglected His commands, allowed corruption to run rampant in the priesthood, and treated the Ark itself like a lucky charm. They had failed.

And still, God fought for them.

Because this battle wasn’t about their strength. It wasn’t about their worthiness. It was about God. His power. His agenda. His faithfulness.

And isn’t that still true today?

I look back at the people who shaped my faith—the ones who later walked away—and I see now that even in their brokenness, God was at work. Even though He knew they would fall, He still used them. He still placed His truth on their lips. He still planted seeds in my life through them. Because His power is greater than human failure.

This is the God we serve. A God who fights His own battles. A God who fights for us.

And this victory in 1 Samuel? It wasn’t just about Israel reclaiming the Ark. It wasn’t just about a temporary, earthly battle. It was pointing forward to something far greater—the ultimate victory in Jesus.

Because centuries later, God would fight another battle. This time, not against Philistines, but against sin and death itself. He wouldn’t just strike down an idol; He would tear the curtain of the temple in two. He wouldn’t just return to dwell with His people for a time; He would make a way to dwell within them forever.

Jesus is our true King, our ultimate deliverer, the one who has secured victory for all eternity.

Even when we don’t see the battle He’s fighting, even when the circumstances seem strange or hopeless—He is still in control.

Prayer

​​Lord, Heavenly Father, You are God. You are the Creator of the heavens and the earth. You are all-knowing, and You are all-powerful. And we worship You. We are sorry for the times we doubt You, for the moments when we don’t understand what is happening, yet struggle to trust. But Lord, we thank You that You have chosen us and loved us regardless. You are the Lord over history. You are the Lord over our failures. You are the Lord over the battles we cannot fight ourselves. Thank You that You have conquered sin and death, and that in You, we have victory and redemption now and forever. Amen.