What is Necessary to Worship God: 1 Samuel 9:11-21

God is the focus.  He is our creator.  He put the universe in motion.  His hand is where the blessings of life – both big and small – originate.

As Saul and his servant come to Ramah, they meet some young women coming out to the town’s well to draw water.  Upon inquiring about Samuel, Saul finds out the time for the sacrifice has almost come.  As a sacrifice to God, the people wouldn’t eat of it until Samuel was present and the food could be properly blessed.

Under the leadership of Eli and his sons, the ark had been captured and the tabernacle destroyed by the Philistines.  When the ark was recovered, it went to be under the care of Eleazar.  Samuel doesn’t see the need to build another edifice to God.  Samuel has a special dynamic within his relationship with God.  Samuel doesn’t need a building to worship.  Samuel finds a beautiful spot in nature – his happened to be at the top of a hill – and the sacrifices happen there.

Clarity is needed at this point.  There’s nothing wrong with a building.  God gave directions for Moses regarding the construction the tabernacle in the wilderness.  If God had an issue with buildings, why would God have done so?

At the same time, look at Samuel’s relationship with God.  God talks to Samuel on the fly.  God walks with Samuel throughout his whole life.  As Saul walks into Ramah, God speaks to Samuel and tells him to pick the tall handsome guy.  The day before, God told Samuel this event was going to happen.  Samuel doesn’t need a building because Samuel walks in the presence of God with every step.

I love this dynamic within Samuel.  Samuel is a leader whose best friend is God.  God is the being closest to Samuel.  Conversations with God are normal in Samuel’s life.  Samuel doesn’t need a special building to find God.  Samuel doesn’t need a mantra to find God.  Samuel doesn’t need a special ritual to find God.  In fact, Samuel doesn’t ever need to find God because God is always there with him.

Samuel did need an altar.  You can’t have sacrifices without an altar.  If everyone is going to make sacrifices, people need to know where to go to make that happen.  Samuel picks a place displaying God’s beauty in creation and establishes a pattern of having the sacrifices there.

Those who follow God need to worship God.  It makes sense for worship to happen communally.  For the sake of organization, communal habits or rituals often occur – such as the people not eating until after Samuel’s blessing.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  However, it is not a necessary element for worship.  Our places, habits, and rituals should never take the place of God.  Being in relationship with God is not about the size of the building, how many people gather there, or what ritual takes place.  Our relationship with God is about God.  God is the focus.