“And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.  So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him.” – 1 Samuel 3:17-18 ESV

Eli was a high priest during the time of Judges in Israel.  The Scriptures reveal that his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were very wicked men who defrauded people.  Eli was old and apathetic in his ways.  He tried to change the behavior of his sons to no avail.  God spoke to him about dealing with it and what would happen if he didn’t, but Eli remained lethargic and indifferent.

At the time, Samuel was under the mentorship of Eli and heard from God one night about what He was going to do regarding Eli, his sons, and his household.  He told Samuel He would hold them accountable for all the evil that was done – for all the evil that was overlooked and neglected by Eli.

In the Scripture verse above, Eli demanded to know what God had spoken to Samuel in his vision.  Samuel told him everything.  The response of Eli is profound:

“It is the Lord.  Let Him do what seems good to Him.”

Here is a man who learns that God is about to deal severely with him and his family, yet what he has to say holds so many lessons for each of us today.

It is the Lord
Eli receives the worst of news, yet his first response is an acknowledgement of God’s total rule and sovereignty over all events of life.

Think about how this relates to our own lives.  The unexpected death of a beloved child, a dear friend or loved one, needs that have gone unmet, or a problem with no apparent solution in sight.  Maybe a deeply seeded hurt that lingers or news of frail or faltering health.

Why is it we have such difficulty in saying, “It is the Lord.”?  Why do we continually fail to see that ALL THINGS past through His overarching control?  Why is it that we place more credence in fate, chance, or luck?  Why do we mindfully place the free will and personal choices of ourselves and others ahead of God – as if He must submit or become subservient to them?

If we fail to see the omniscience of God, His knowledge of ALL that has been, ALL that is happening in the moment, and ALL that lies ahead of us – if we fail to believe He has the power to instantly change our circumstances, to soften or harden our hearts and the hearts of others, to either allow events to unfold or to stop them dead in their tracks, then unlike Eli, we don’t see God correctly – in the proper light of who He is and His role within our lives and the lives of ALL His creation.

If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground apart from His knowing (Matthew 10:29), if He is with the doe in the forest as she is in labor giving birth (Job 39:1), and if He intricately designs the beauty of the flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow (Matthew 6:30)……Then surely “It is the Lord” – deeply and intricately involved in ALL that is happening in your life!

Let Him

I love the initial words of “Let Him” – a form of instruction to us all to let go, avoid resistance, and to stop seeing the events and circumstances of life as if God is a disinterested observer – helplessly watching from a distance – aloof, unaware, and uncaring.

“Let Him” bring people across your path who make a difference in your life and to remove those whose time it is to go.  “Let Him” change your job status or move you suddenly in a new direction.  “Let Him” give and take away without questioning – without any doubt or hesitation.

Why?  The reason my friend is this….

Do What Seems Good to Him

In the words of Eli, He is ALWAYS operating from a position of grace, mercy, goodness and righteousness.  Even as Eli was told of his impending, deathly punishment, he deeply trusted that God was acting from a place of moral goodness.  This is the essence of who He is – the bedrock of His character.

Really?

You mean to tell me that the death of a loved one, the cancer diagnosis, or the job I just lost are signs of grace?  Am I supposed to believe my dismal, drained finances, the husband who is abusive, or my teenager who is acting out of control are somehow connected to His mercy and goodness?

Yes!  Absolutely beyond any doubt!

Even Eli believed and knew that God’s goodness was ultimately behind his own demise.

Think about that for a second.  He had faith in God’s grace and goodness – even if it meant his own death.  He knew God was up to something more profound – bigger than himself.  As it turns out, Eli’s death led to the appointment of Samuel as judge – without a doubt one of the most influential and impactful judges in the history of Israel.

Do you believe and are you capable of saying, “Let Him do what seems good to Him”?  Are you willing to acknowledge His ultimate power and rule, allowing Him (without resistance) to move in your life – knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is up to something good?  Are you willing to do this in the middle of experiencing hurt, confusion, or uncertainty?

This kind of faith is astounding!  I wonder in my own life if I am truly capable of it, of practicing it daily, of allowing it and embracing it, of letting it permeate my mind, heart and soul within every moment and circumstance I face?

I pray that you meditate on this today as I have.  May God give us all the grace, the wisdom, and the determination to state with conviction….just like Eli….

“It is the Lord.  Let Him do what seems good to Him.”

God bless!