Renewal

Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.” 1 Samuel 11:14

Every February means the beginning of a months-long, worldwide competition cycle for those of us at our gym. I placed high enough in February that I graduated to the second step this month, and if I’d have done well enough, I’d have been invited to the finals in August. Every year, I start out hopeful, but my season ended abruptly on Sunday as I failed to qualify. So now I begin the process of asking what went wrong. I’d trained hard this year, but over the last six months I failed to control my appetite and I entered this competition cycle 15 pounds too heavy. It showed in my scores, and it showed on camera. As I watched my videos (we must provide video confirmation of our performance), and compared myself to those faster than me, it became apparent that my weight put me at a serious disadvantage.

Last year, I did well in managing my weight. So, I must ask myself what I did back then. If I don’t want to repeat this year’s mistakes next year, I must find renewal, going back to those behaviors that brought success previously. This isn’t just deciding in my mind that I’m going to eat less. Renewal means a radical change in my behavior.

Renewal is available to each of us, but it requires action. This is the lesson of today’s passage. In the story, God’s people wandered from him, leading them to suffer at the hands of the Ammonites. In their distress, they cried out to God who used Saul to defeat their enemies. After the battle, in celebration, the prophet Samuel announced a time of renewal, leading his people in worship, sacrifice, and repentance. Samuel knew that demanding a king set the Israelites in opposition to God, but he also knew that there was hope for a better future if the Israelites would return to God, renewing their commitment to him. This renewal though, wasn’t just a thought in their collective heads. Rather, renewal required a profound change in their behavior.

How often have I wanted to go back and start over? This isn’t just about eating. This is about my entire life. Yes, I’ve enjoyed times of spiritual success, but eventually, I’ve failed, causing myself misery, and in my misery, I remembered the success I once experienced. In remembering, I want to go back. It’s hard to get back, though. So, I decide in my head that things will be different, but I don’t change anything and so, nothing changes. If I truly desire renewal, I must repent, which means I do whatever it takes to abandon my way to get back to following God. Renewal is always available, but it does require a radical change in my behavior.