Through 2024, every member of the Thirst Collective – Thir.st, Salt&Light, Stories of Hope, 还好吗 hhm.sg, Living Room, Collective Studio – has committed to reading the Bible from cover to cover. 

We thought it’d be cool to pick out reflections and insights from our team’s readings to share with you. This time, dive deep into 1 Samuel with us!

1 Samuel 3: Samuel speaks for the Lord

Juleen, Salt&Light

“Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.” (‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭7,‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

When God gave Samuel the prophecy over Israel and Eli’s household, Samuel did not know the Lord personally, even though he had been doing menial tasks in the temple.

“It was only later that ”the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭21‬, ‭ESV‬‬)

God is a God who pursues even those who don’t yet know Him and. God can use them for His purposes, and He reveals Himself to them in His time. This gives me heart as I pray for loved ones who don’t yet know God.

1 Samuel 7: Samuel leads Israel to victory

Zemin, 还好吗 hhm.sg

“Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshipped only the Lord.” (1 Samuel 7:3-4, NLT)

I’m reminded to guard my heart at all times. It is very easy for us to lose sight of God and make whatever things that give us comfort into idols. Being able to throw away idols without any hesitation and becoming humble to God is a characteristic to learn.

As James 4:6 tells us, “And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”.

1 Samuel 8: Israel requests a new King

Weiming, Thir.st

The part in 1 Samuel 8 where the people refused to listen to Samuel because he was old is actually quite a solid reflection of the church today too – I myself am guilty of that.

Reading it, I thought to myself that it was ironic because you’d grow wiser with age — why would the people not want to listen to Samuel and instead compare themselves with other nations?

Furthermore, Samuel was a good man who fulfilled his commitments to God. I couldn’t understand it.

Perhaps that is just the nature of man, and that’s why we always need to turn to God for wisdom and discernment to not make foolish mistakes.

1 Samuel 10: Saul made king

Nicole, Thir.st

“So they inquired further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” And the Lord answered, “He is there, hiding himself by the provisions and supplies.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭10‬:‭22‬, ‭AMP‬‬)

Saul was hiding before he was publicly chosen as king.

With new anointing comes new responsibility. It is normal to fear what comes in the new season, but we also have to keep in mind that whatever God has called us to do, He will equip us.

The equipping and training process may not be the most pleasant, but it is necessary for us to learn how to defeat giants.

1 Samuel 12: Samuel’s farewell address

Shawn, Collective Studio

“Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.” (1 Samuel 12:23-25)

Every great leader in the Bible had prayer at the centre of their lives. It didn’t matter the season, circumstance… they prayed.

Moses interceded for the Israelites (his brother and sister as well) and God withheld His wrath. Hannah prayed and beyond the gift of three sons and two daughters the Lord gave her, she also received a a beautiful prophecy of God’s favour upon His anointed king.

We read of Samuel never ceasing to pray for the people. The great king David, for all his transgressions, ran back to God in prayer and confession.

Jesus made prayer and interceding a pivotal part of His ministry and life when He was here in this world (who can forget His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane?).

Even now, as He sits at the right hand of God, He never ceases to intercede for us. May prayer not just be a part of my life, but become my life.

1 Samuel 14: Saul does things his way

Ming Feng, Collective Studio

Saul has a habit of saying whatever he needs to say in order to get out of trouble. He keeps bringing in other people as if they are responsible for his mistakes.

Making mistakes in this life is inevitable, it will happen and we will have to face the consequences of them. Still, how bad the consequences are — that’s decided by us. The choices we make after we sin determine the true consequences of it.

Confess our sins, ask for forgiveness; the consequences of doing this are far better than the consequences of not doing it. God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we confess our sins.

1 Samuel 17: David slays Goliath

Peck, Salt&Light

“And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.” (1 Samuel 17:49)

The stone was only half the story. The other half was the accuracy and speed of the sling shot. David was very, very accurate because he’s done it so many times. He knew the right stones to pick to have maximum leverage. It’s physics. 

The SpeedEitan Hirsch, a ballistics expert with the Israeli Defense Forces, recently completed a study where he discovered that a typical-size stone hurled by an expert slinger at a distance of 35 metres would have hit Goliath’s head at 34 or 35 metres per second. That’s equal to 76 mph!

David had been trained in the “small” job as a shepherd for the BIG task of taking down a giant to save his nation. 

Don’t despise the small things.

Ashley, Thir.st

The story of David versus Goliath in chapter 17 is always encouraging to remember. Thinking about how David was around my age, it must’ve seemed like an extra-tall order that he was chosen to fight against Goliath when there were many much stronger, much bigger men who would’ve been more fit to fight.

This just proves that 1 Timothy 4:12 really holds true: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

As long as God is on our side, regardless of how big the giants we face in our life are, and how small we feel in comparison, we will still triumph. 

David also remained humble when he faced Saul immediately after, replying that he is the “son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite” (1 Samuel 17:58).

He didn’t expect Saul to know his name and his lineage even after such a feat, and he didn’t take the chance to brag about his recent accomplishment or draw attention to the head of Goliath that he was holding.

It’s a good reminder that we shouldn’t define ourselves by the battles we’ve won or the titles lauded on us by others, and that even in success we can adopt a posture of humility.

1 Samuel 22: David at Adullam and Mizpah

Gracia Chiang, Living Room

“No one discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.” (1 Samuel 22:8)

Saul was motivated by jealousy, comparison and competition. He was too preoccupied with himself instead of what God was doing. Had he taken his eyes off himself and looked at what God was doing through David, he might have caught a glimpse of God’s will.

“And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.” (1 Samuel 23:14)

God is sovereign, and David’s life is preserved against all odds. Despite being a fugitive on the run, David even manages to save the city of Keilah from the Philistines. Right at the last moment when Saul is closing in on David’s location, God sends a diversion, protecting David yet again. Read Psalm 54 to see how David cried out to God and trusted Him at this exact moment though all looked dismal. 

“May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.” (1 Samuel 24:12)

Instead of acting in self-defence and exacting revenge against Saul when he had the chance to, David displayed enormous self-control. Such was his trust in God’s timing and judgement that he refused to kill Saul and refrained from taking things into his own hand. David was indeed a type of Christ, seeking to do God’s will rather than his own.

When we cannot see God’s purpose or understand His plan for having to go through a tough time, can we trust God like David did? When we are treated unfairly or wronged, are we willing to surrender justice to His timeline/ways?

1 Samuel 24: David spares Saul’s life

Zoe, Thir.st

When David finally had the chance to deal with King Saul, he ended up not hurting him.

Through the verses, when David chose to lay aside all that had happened and decided to reconcile, I thought that in itself probably took a lot for him to do. Yet he humbled himself and showed honour to Saul as his master still.

At the very end, we also see that King Saul was remorseful over his actions towards David – he recognised his shortcomings and sins as he sought David’s forgiveness.

Praying that our hearts will remain one that constantly seeks the Lord and one that carries His grace with us.

1 Samuel 30: David shares the spoils

Eunice, Thir.st

“David replied, ‘No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us … All will share alike.” (1 Samuel 30:23-24)

The wicked men looked at the spoils and wanted them for themselves, but David, in selflessness and humility, wanted to share the spoils with everyone. 

This desire to share the spoils with everyone came from David’s acknowledgment that the victory was more of the Lord’s than his own.

This is something I pray that I can apply in my life. I pray for the humility to understand that what I achieve is never solely by my own efforts.