↪️ 1 Samuel 12:21 | "Do not turn aside..."

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Happy Monday, everyone!

We’re excited to share that today’s email is brought to you by Compassion International. They’re an incredible ministry that created an amazing (free) devotional to help you obey one of Christ’s most well-known teachings!

More on this below, but if you can’t wait, you can check it out by clicking here.

We have the privilege of diving into 1 Samuel for our verse this week. Our chosen Scripture comes right from a speech given by Samuel himself.

Today, we’ll get a bird’s eye view on the whole book.

In today’s email…

• ❤️ A devotional to make you more like Jesus

• 📕 Israel wants a king—God wants their obedience.

• 🤔 Who’s really in charge of your life?

• 🎵 A song to help you reflect on 1 Samuel 12:21

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MEMORIZE 🧠 

And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty.

1 Samuel 12:21

TOGETHER WITH COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL

We Can’t Stop Thinking About These Powerful Words from Jesus

What does it really mean to live “unto Jesus”?

Our friends at Compassion International put together a 4-day devotional that recently blew up on YouVersion with close to 10 Million views in its first few days!

It walks through Matthew 25 — the very words where Jesus says, “Whatever you did for the least of these… you did unto Me.”

Each day includes short Scripture reflections and real stories of people who chose compassion — and saw lives transformed.

Click below to start the devotional and invite a friend to join you!

CONTEXT 📕 

The book of Judges has ended. It depicted how everything went from victorious celebrations to moral depravity.

And now in 1 Samuel, things are still in a downward spiral.

Let’s explore the book.

Author: The prophet Samuel wrote the first portion of the book, with later additions possibly by his prophetic successors Nathan and Gad (See 1 Chronicles 29:29).

Dates: The events of 1 Samuel are set in the late 11th century BC. Samuel is understood to have lived around 1100–1020 BC, overlapping with the reign of King Saul (traditionally dated to 1050–1010 BC).

Audience: 1 Samuel was likely written for the people of Israel living after the events covered in the book.

Major Themes in 1 Samuel

• Divine Sovereignty - It shows the transition from tribal leadership (judges) to a monarchy in Israel. Though Israel demands a human king “like the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5), God remains their true ruler.

• Obedience vs. Rebellion - Saul’s fall and David’s rise reveal a core message: obedience matters more than title or rituals.

• Divine Providence and Human Responsibility - The book highlights the tension between God’s control and human choice. History unfolds through human decisions, yet nothing escapes the Lord’s oversight.

In 1 Samuel, an essential question is “Will having an earthly King fix our problems? …Or will it make everything worse?”

APPLY AND RESPOND 🏃‍♂️ 

1 Samuel isn’t just ancient history—it’s a mirror. It asks the same question we wrestle with today: Who’s really in charge of my life?

📖 Read: In addition to reading all of 1 Samuel 12, the chapter which houses our memory verse, read 1 Samuel 8 for background and Psalm 146 for a deeper reflection. Watch how people crave power, while God demands trust in him.

🙏 Pray: Lord, I want You to reign in my life. Teach me to trust Your leadership, even when I think I know better. Shape my heart to follow You, not what the world chases.

🧠 Reflect: What areas of your life are you trying to control that belong in God’s hands?

SONG OF THE WEEK 🎵 

While the world is strangely lacking a 1 Samuel 12:21 song, this song asks God to burn up our idols and helps us give God all the control.

Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music | Full Malachi Daily Playlist

ANSWER KEY ✅ 

And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty.

1 Samuel 12:21