READ: 1 Samuel 9:27 - 10:9
WORSHIP AND THE WORD: At the end of the Bible passage we find Saul worshipping God. The first step for him was to hear the Word of God for his life (v27). Let's pray for ourselves that we will be attentive to God's Word.
WORSHIP AND THE ANOINTING: The next thing that happened to Saul was that he was anointed. Samuel performed the act but the Lord did the work (v1). God anointed Saul as "commander over His inheritance". Each of us has an anointing from the Lord and we have authority to "reign in life" (Romans 5: 17). Let's praise God for such an anointing.
WORSHIP AND WORRY: If we are going to worship the Lord with all our soul, mind and strength, we need to have cast all our cares onto the Lord. Saul had worry lifted off his shoulders before he worshipped (v2). Let's think on any concerns that might be weighing us down and pray as we cast them onto the Lord.
WORSHIP AND PROGRESS: Sometimes people find it hard to worship God because things seem to be at a standstill in their lives. God wants us to be moving forward (v3). Let's pray for obedient hearts so we can move forward at the Lord's direction.
WORSHIP AND FAVOUR: Some people see the bread (v4) as a symbol of covenant (as in communion). At the very least it is a sign of God's favour. Such favour and our subsequent gratitude is a real stimulus to worship. Let's pray that we will be people who are quick to recognise the Lord's goodness and provision.
WORSHIP AND WARFARE: Samuel mentions an unusual situation - "the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is" (v5). This prompts the question - "what were the Philistines doing setting up a stronghold on God's hill?". The good news, though, is that the prophets of God had been up there worshipping. Let's commit ourselves before the Lord to the kind of worship that brings down enemy strongholds.
WORSHIP WITH OTHERS: There are times to worship on our own and there are times to worship with others (v5). Let's pray for the grace to be one with others in our worship.
PROPHETIC WORSHIP: Sometimes worship is "timeless" (as we are caught up with a sense of eternity), at other times it is very much "time-based" (responding to and confronting issues in our daily lives and circumstances). Let's pray that we will know a prophetic element (v6a) in our worship, alongside the more eternal.
WORSHIP AND THE HEART: Worship must come from the heart. As Saul was caught up in prophetic praise he was "turned into another man" (vs 6,9). Let's pray for a real heart relationship with the Lord for ourselves and for others.