1 Samuel 3-5; Psalm 23; Acts 6

Samuel becomes a prophet of God and a judge in Israel by God's choice. His entire story is full of evident divine providence. Leading his people according to God's plan, He sends them leaders who will fulfill this plan at a specific stage. It is incredible in this regard—the place and role of different people, the devout and suffering Hannah, her rival, the insufficiently faithful priest Eli, his wayward sons—all these diverse people, yet God uses them all to accomplish His purposes.

The attempt to use the ark of the covenant as protection on the battlefield against the Philistines was nothing more than superstition, so it did not help but lead to the capture of the ark by the pagans (1 Samuel 4:3-11).

However, God intervenes for the ark, and its presence becomes a great problem for the Philistines (1 Samuel 5).

Psalm 23 is one of David's most famous psalms. It is infused with confidence in God, who cares for His children. David writes it in the context of unjust persecution from Saul. His knowledge of God and deep reliance on Him became the main instrument that gave the psalmist deep inner peace amid sorrows.

Acts 6. Describing the emergence and early life of the Church that arose in Jerusalem, Luke speaks not only of blessings but also of the difficulties it faced. Alongside the remarkable generosity of many who gave all they had, the people who comprised the first Church had shortcomings, displaying various forms of spiritual immaturity. This led to the necessity of establishing the ministry of deacons, who assisted the elders in addressing the practical issues of the life of God's people (Acts 6:1-6). The chosen brothers were characterized by faithfulness and obedience to the Holy Spirit. All of this contributed to the further development of the Church and the expansion of God's work (Acts 6:7).