1 Samuel 6, Ecclesiastes 7, 1 Peter 5

Recognize God's power. Even the diviners and priests to the false gods of the Philistines recognized the One True God and His power. They didn't understand how to worship Him, or that they even could, but they knew they had to send the ark back to the Israelites because of God's power coming against them.

Respect God's power. The men of Beth Shemech rejoiced at its return to them, but even they failed to respect and honor the ark in a proper manner. They knew it housed the power of God, and still they opened it. And paid with their lives.

Know and Follow God's Instructions. The reason they didn't know was that they hadn't heard the scripture. They didn't have priests who taught them God's instructions. We might wonder at their foolishness, but we will join them if we don't read the Bible and attend a church where the Bible is taught.

Focus on the Eternal. Are you shocked by the content of Ecclesiastes 7? We are prone to think of suffering or grief as a bad thing. This fresh perspective from Solomon encourages us to focus on the eternal, rather than the temporal. And, I think, it reminds us to lighten up.It's all for a greater cause.

Follow Leaders. Peter exhorts the elders to shepherd (read: guide) the flock and the flock to follow their shepherds. He knew the importance of solid teaching to keep followers from going astray and making stupid decisions like the Israelites and their handling of the ark.

Keep Your Focus and Keep Following. He also talks about living in suffering and keeping a proper focus. Down through the centuries, nothing has really changed.

Judges 14, Proverbs 22, Hebrews 7

In case we forget that God is always at work around us, and that He always accomplishes his purposes, the fourteenth chapter of Judges is in the Bible. What looks like another slide away from the Lord on Samson's part, capitulation on his parents' part, and deviousness on the part of Samson's wife, is all part of God's plan. He knew how it would play out, and used the events to set up the Philistines. No matter how things appear to us, we must remember that God is in charge and will not be thwarted.

The writer of the Proverbs reminds us that the reason he wrote them was to teach us truth and so that we will trust in the Lord. This is the way we should approach the reading of all scripture. So that we can learn truth and to trust in the Lord.

The truth about the Lord Jesus Christ is told to us in Hebrews 8. He is our priest, the only one we need, the only one who can save us. He is better than the Levitical priests and brought to an end the need for them. And He ever lives to intercede for us. (See verse 25.)

Back when Abraham offered His tithe to Melchizedek, God was working on His plan for salvation through Jesus Christ. When Samson married a Philistine woman, God was working on His plan to save Israel and when Solomon wrote Proverbs, God was at work to teach all his readers how to live godly lives.

You are part of His plan. Watch for His work around you.