The Israelites got the Ark of the Covenant back. They celebrated (some) but were worried, too. Their people died from looking inside the Ark, too! They moved the Ark to another town, Kiriath Jearim, and then turned back to the LORD.
So Samuel said to all the Israelites, "If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." (1 Samuel 7:3 NIV)
Following our King is a process. We recognize that God is speaking to us. We take the time to understand what God is saying: really listening. Then, we do what our King wants us to do. Sometimes, this process requires us to turn around. When we look for the LORD and realize that God is in a different place, moving in a different direction from us, it is up to us to turn around.
So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only. Then Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the LORD for you." When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD." (1 Samuel 7:4-6a NIV)
How about you? Do you have places where you need to turn back to the LORD? Do you need to return to the King?
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