Good Monday Morning, Dear Friends,
On the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea there is a vast and fertile valley known to history as the Plain of Esdraelon. Located at the crossroads of the ancient world, this plain has often been called the Battleground of the Ages. The chariots of Egypt rolled across this valley on their way to meet the empires of the north. Armies from Nineveh, Babylon, and Damascus have camped in its fields.
One night about 3,000 years ago, the valley was the scene of preparation for one of its many conflicts. An army under the leadership of a king named Saul found himself on the verge of panic. What would tomorrow bring? He was searching for something that would offer him a bit of hope. Suddenly, he remembered Samuel, a wise and trusted counselor who in earlier years had offered him wisdom and friendship. But somewhere along the way, Saul had pushed this friend aside and forgotten him. Now Samuel was dead. That night, as Saul faced the most crucial hour of his life, he yearned for a chance to talk to this friend once more.
Not far away in the little village of Endor lived an old witch who claimed the power to communicate with the dead. Slipping away in the darkness, Saul made his way to the cave where the old woman lived. “Bring me back Samuel,” Saul whispered to the witch. “Let me talk to my friend once again” (1 Samuel 28).
The story of King Saul standing before the cave at Endor is one of the unforgettable dramas of history. However, it also reflects a circumstance common in human experience. Have you ever found yourself confronting uncertain or troubled times? If so, you wonder if there is any way you can hear a word about the future.
Though it’s hard to foretell the future, it is possible to arrange our lives to get at least some insights into what tomorrow will bring. No circumstance is ever hopeless. No matter how hemmed in life may appear to be, there is always at least one step that can be taken in the right direction. It may be a small step, but the world is so arranged that if that step is taken, another will become evident. Soon many other doors will appear.
We don’t need a witch to know about the future. The best way to have the tomorrow you desire is to make the right choices today.
Give attention to the consequences your choices bring,
Bruce Jones, Pastor
Imagine Church
