The Beauty of the Snooze; 1 Samuel 16:1-13

 

Rev. George Miller

Oct 19, 2025

1 Samuel 16:1-13

 

If you were asked “What is your favorite time of the day?”, what would you say?

 

Mine is when the alarm goes off in the morning, and you hit  snooze.

 

It’s not running away or ignoring the tasks of the day ahead, it’s being present in a liminal space where you’re not fully up or fully asleep.  You’re not doing work, but you’re not avoiding the day.

 

You just “are.”  Just “being,” drifting in and out before the alarm goes again and now it’s time for your feet to touch the floor so you can brush your teeth, feed the pets, make the coffee.

 

There’s something so wonderful about “the snooze.”  That pause.  That slow awakening.  That last bit of comfort underneath the blanket.

 

“The snooze” doesn’t get a lot of attention in our world.  The focus is more on what you’re doing, what’s getting done, what needs to be done.

 

Attention is often given to those who are the most active, or loud.

 

But not much attention is given to those who “just are,” who are there, who faithfully show up, smile, who show support through their presence and non-verbals.

 

There are people here I have yet to really know but always enjoy seeing.

 

The members of St. Lucas who come in early, to find their favorite seat, sitting in the calm stillness before worship starts.

 

Those who come in right before the bells who take their place and are engaged the moment they sit.

 

So often in religious institutions, we give attention to those who are in the front or lead the committees or cause the most drama, but then there is the majority of folk who simply come in each and every Sunday, or who watch online, who simply are here-

 

To worship God, to have a spiritual experience, to feel a connection with Jesus, a kiss from the Holy Spirit, to share the Good News with people around them.

 

It is important, and it is good to say “I see you.”  We appreciate you.  We value your presence.

 

Your steadfastness, your calm demeanor says so much, creating a safe, soothing experience.

 

You may not know it, but your presence motivates me, becoming the electric current that allows me to do what is done here in the Chancel.

 

For our more quiet, yet very faithful members and visitors, we say “Thank you.”

 

Sometimes life is not about doing, or being the loudest or being number 1, but about “being.”

 

Simply being right here, right now.

 

Not having to perform, impress, not having to burn yourself out.

 

But just being; being you; being a child of God; being a part of the St. Lucas UCC foundation.

 

That’s what Spirit seems to say today.  Our reading is a tale about how Isreal gets their 2^nd king.

 

It’s not a story about the obvious, but the surprising.  It’s not about the 1st, or 2nd, or even about the 5th, but about the one so far removed, who is the 8th.

 

Samuel, the son of Hannah, is directed by God to set out to Bethlehem.  Known as “The House Of Bread”, Bethlehem was a small, rural town of little political significance.

 

There was nothing grand about Bethlehem- no great walls, or stunning architecture, it was ordinary…boring.  Easy to overlook while on your way to the Arch or Busch Stadium.

 

It had some ancestral importance, as Rachel, the wife of Jacob, was buried there.

 

It’s also where Ruth, a foreign woman, gives birth to her son Obed, who is the father of Jesse.

 

Since Ruth, of Moabite descent, most likely looked different than the woman of Bethlehem, it’s likely that Obed and Jesse also looked different.

 

God sending Samuel to this no-count town of Bethlehem to find the next King is the 1^st surprise.  The 2^nd is who God chooses.

 

Samuel goes to Jesse, Ruth’s grandson.  What happens next is like a fashion show- each son walks by Samuel and struts their stuff to see who will be “Isreal’s Next Top Monarch.”

 

But it’s not the 1^st born son, Eliab, not the 2^nd son Abinadab.  Nor Shammah, or the 4^th son or 7^th.

 

It’s almost like a male version of Cinderella.  The sons are seen, but it turns out there is one more person, one son who is out in the field, doing manual labor- David.

 

By his own father’s eyes, David is insignificant, no consequence; just a boy in the field.

 

He’s ruddy, skin that’s dark from being outside, not the tone of someone who’s inside working with numbers and words.

 

Because of his ancestral heritage, David is not a pure Israelite.  He is one-eight Moabite, or 12.5 %, likely inheriting some of Ruth’s foreign features.

 

This is who God calls; this is who God chooses; this is who God sees.

 

The 8^th son, who is 1/8^th Moabite, of a working-class rural farmer, in a small-town with no political importance, just a memory of Rachel and her tears.

 

And note that unlike the other 7 sons, David is not asked to do anything- no strut, twirl, or singing for the judges.

 

David just is; he shows up, he is present, he is red from standing in the sun, and God says “He’s the One.”

 

There is something so quaint, so beautiful about this story. It’s not about action, performing, proving, creating chaos, or having to be the best, do the most, being “on.”

 

We simply see David being present, showing up, pleasing God.

 

Knowing what we know about David, understanding how from this moment on, his life will never be the same, this is that quiet, liminal space, the “snooze” before his world changes.

 

This is where the awe of it all comes from being present, being here, being now. 

 

That breath, that pause often becomes the ways in which the ability to be kind, the ability to be brave, to ability to inspire and uplift comes.

 

Once upon a time, God sought someone to bring safety and security to the people.

 

And it wasn’t in the most obvious of places, or the one who did the most, or required the most attention.

 

Instead it was the one that was simply there, simply being, present and pure of heart.

 

God bless each and everyone today who comes before God knowing you don’t have to be #1, or steal the spotlight, but just “are.”

 

Great things happen when we can be still; be still and know God.

 

Amen.

LEGOS as Faith In Action; 1 Samuel 3:1-11

 

Rev. George Miller

October 12, 2025

1 Samuel 3:1-11

 

Legos are a perfect way to teach about faith- faith in the process, faith in God, faith in yourself.

 

In the beginning of any Lego project you have this group of stuff- messy, unorganized, multi-color, multi-shape, multi-purpose.

 

There they are.  Looking at you while you’re looking at it.

 

Either your thought is “What to create?” Or “How do I turn all this into the photo on the box?”

 

Then…you just do.  You gather, you use wisdom, intuition, logic.  Piece by piece you snap snap snap.

 

Sometimes you hit a roadblock or a dead end; things get frustrating.  You may want to give up. 

 

Or you give yourself the OK to walk away and come back later with fresh eyes and new energy.

 

Sometimes, there is a piece missing.  So you make do or find a way to overcome the obstacle.

 

But if you are a faithful Lego connoisseur, no matter the mess, the chaos, the missing pieces…you just keep building.

 

You snap into place, arrange, you may even invite others to be part of the process.

 

You just keep building.

 

Eventually- finalamente- there it is; there you are!  It is finished and your Lego creation is beautiful, because you had faith in the process, faith in yourself, and perhaps even faith in God.

 

And to think it all started from a mess of colors, forms, and stuff.

 

Many ways, this is what Genesis 1 is all about – “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.  Then God said ‘Let there be light;’ and there was light.”

 

So much of the Bible is a retelling of that creation story, just with people and families facing voids and darkness in which nothing seems possible.

 

Genesis 28, with nothing but a rock as a pillow, Jacob has a dream that assures him God is there.

 

Exodus 16, the Israelites are hungry and incredibly angry.  God hears them, acts, and blesses them with daily bread.

 

The story of Ruth and Naomi, in which they face death, famine, and no child to carry on their legacy.  Somehow, through smarts, logic, and faith in God, they find a way to survive, thrive, and bring new life into the world.

 

Throughout the Bible we find a lineage of hope that says “Even though things seem messy, even though things look like they make no sense, through our faith in God, by our actions and intellect, we can make it through.”

 

This lineage of hope is seen in Sarah, Abraham, Jacob, and Ruth.

 

We see it today. 

 

Life has not been great for the Israelites.  They have forgotten who they are, ignoring the instructions from God.

 

Their religious leaders are too busy stealing from the offering and having sex in the doorways to do what God has asked of them.

 

So times are dark; they feel hopeless; and they are under constant threat of their enemies coming to attack them.

 

In this dark time is a woman of extreme faith named Hannah. She is the second wife of a man who seems to be absolutely clueless about everything. 

 

She has no child, no son, which means she has no one to care for her if her husband dies.

 

Instead of being passive and idle, Hannah does what she thinks is best- goes to the House of the Lord and prays.  She is honest about her feelings of vexation and anxiety.

 

Eventually, she gives birth to a boy named Samuel.  In thanksgiving, she raises him in the faith, having him live in God’s house.

 

In chapter 2, Hannah offers a prayer to God that sounds like a mighty warrior, speaking of God as a rock, as knowledge, who strengthens the weak, exalts the poor, and guards the faithful.

 

From Hannah’s actions to her prayers and powerful words, she is a woman of faith.

 

Years pass.  Things have gotten worse for Isreal.  At any moment, the Philistines are going to attack.  The priests are still stealing and fooling-around with parishioners.

 

It’s as if everything is dark, messy, and could end at any moment.

 

But as chapter 3, verse 3 says “The lamp of God has not gone out yet.” 

 

There’s still hope.  There’s still the possibility that the Lego set will not come undone.

 

The light of God is still there, even if it’s just a flicker, even if everyone else has abandoned it.

 

And that light of God, that still small voice, calls out to Hannah’s child Samuel, and says “See, I am about to do something…that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it to tingle.”

 

God is not done.

 

God sees the mess of human created, ego-driven, unethical, behavior that is all over the place.

 

Instead of walking away or giving up, God says “I’m going to take these fallen Lego parts, and we are going to put them back together.”

 

Notice these words are not spoken to the priests or local leaders, but to a boy, a child, someone who like Hagar, Ruth, and Naomi, is among the most vulnerable and unseen.

 

Into chaos God speaks, and God does what it takes to resecure the foundation on which they stand.

 

It takes a boy raised in great faith by a Mom who knew what it was like to stand upon the Lord.

 

Samuel comes from a lineage of hope; a family that had a great faith that they passed down.

 

A thought- is hope, is faith, something that can be inherited? 

 

If we are born inheriting our parents’ eyes, hair, skin tone, can we also inherit their faith; their hope; their trust in the Lord?

 

If we learn how to act, how to live by observing our parents and elders, can we also learn from them our faith?

 

And if we do, what kind of faith is it?  Is it the kind that sees the Legos on the floor and gives up?

 

Or the faith that sees the pile and says “Let’s work together and see what we can do.”

 

Maybe it’s because of his mother Hannah, that Samuel had the opportunity to hear the Lord when darkness seemed so permanent.

 

Maybe it’s because of Ruth and Naomi that Hannah had trust in the Lord.

 

Maybe it’s because of the stories about bread from heaven that Ruth knew they could keep going.

 

Throughout the Bible we see this lineage of hope, this heritage of faith, which says-

 

“Even when things are messy; even when times are dark, God still sees, still hears, and God still acts.”

 

Perhaps this week we can think of all we face, and is going on as Legos on the floor waiting to be assembled.

 

With that image, we can move together to not live in unproductive fear or frozen doubt, but to find ways to move, to be.

 

To rely upon the faith that has been passed down to us from generation after generation.  

 

Faith in the process, faith in God, even faith in yourself.

 

You just keep building, until your time to build is no more.

 

Amen.

Finding God in the Broom and the Dustpan; Exodus 16:1-18

 

Rev. George Miller

October 5, 2025

Exodus 16:1-18

 

Last night was our 2^nd Annual Polka Worship, with a focus on Martin Luther.  He would have enjoyed our time together. 

 

For all his seriousness, Luther liked simple blessings and God’s provision, once stating-

 

“God does not give us only what is necessary, but also what is delightful and joyful.  (God) gives us wine to gladden the heart, oil to make the face shine, bread to give strength.  Thus we see the overflowing goodness of God.”

 

My recent vacation in Minneapolis was the overflowing goodness of God.  Visiting friends.  Preaching at Grace Temple.  Seeing the sun rise over the city.  Relaxed meals with fresh fruit in the morning and a martini at night.

 

I desired to bring that sense of  vacation calm back to St. Louis. 

 

On Wednesday the alarm sounds and there are the day-to-day things to do- feed cats, put away dishes.

 

Such tasks can feel like a chore, but if done with intention, they’re like a ritual.  A sense of order to ground the mundane of the day into the holy, trusting that even in the dustpan, God is there.

 

While doing laundry, an idea arrived.  Instead of hauling the items from the washer into the dryer in one big clump, why not go piece by piece?

 

Noble idea, but by the 3^rd item, boredom settled in.  To make it like a game, I counted how many items were in the wash.  31 pieces, from socks to t-shirts to towels.

 

This was just 1 load.  There are people in which 31 of anything would be a lot.

 

It felt like an unbearable chore; yet a chore because I was fortunate enough to have this much.

 

The irony of having too much- looking at a full closet, saying  “I have nothing to wear,” then looking at a full hamper and saying “Not more laundry!”

 

Can anyone can relate?  Having to wash dishes, but those dishes meant you got to eat.  Having to shovel the driveway, but that means you have a car.

 

The writer of Proverbs 30 says to God “Give me neither poverty or extreme wealth; give me what I need.”(Proverbs 30:7-8)

 

The idea of scarcity and abundance is very much a part of the Bible. 

 

Abraham and Sarah face a famine that forces them into Egypt.  Jacob only has a stone to sleep on in the desert.

 

On his death bed, he says to his son, may the Almighty “bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.” (Genesis 49:25) 

 

Blessings of heaven, blessing of the earth, blessings of the family.

 

Martin Luther understood this.  He was a man of faith who enjoyed a laugh, a song, and a stein of beer.

 

He understood the tension of God’s gifts and human needs.

 

He saw “daily bread,” to include that which is needed to support the body- shoes, shelter, nutrition, a  healthy family, honest leaders, honorable friends. 

 

He warned against having so much that one turns to hoarding, cruel greed, exploitation. 

 

He worried that too much can pull someone away from God just as too little can cause one to not believe in God.

 

When preaching on Ecclesiastes, Luther said “It is God’s good pleasure that we enjoy what (God) has created.  Therefore, we should use God’s gifts with thanksgiving, not with greed, but with gladness.”

 

Meeting gifts with gladness; finding ways to embrace God’s abundance so that everyone can have their blessed daily bread too.

 

We see this in today’s scripture.  The people are on the journey of a lifetime.  From the Nile Delta, across the Red Sea, to the springs, the Israelites face a new reality.

 

After 2 months and 15 days, they are tired.  Their feet hurt; their joints ache; they are hungry.  Their bellies are making that rumbly sound.  So, they rumble to Moses. 

 

As Luther noted, when food is scarce, it creates a faith crisis.  They feel tempted to go back to the not-so-good old days.  Though they were slaves, they had food; now things seem scant.

 

So God produces a plan, one with lessons of participation, trust, and rest.

 

In the morning there’s bread for everyone.  But God’s not going simply hand it to them.  God is going to empower them.

 

They are to go out, gather what they need, doing the necessary work to attain their daily bread.

 

Then there is the trust part- don’t hoard the bread; believe there will be more.

 

Then there is the rest part.  On day 6, gather twice as much and trust that it will last them until Sunday.

 

Think of it- this former group of enslaved people are told it is OK to rest, and they can sleep in and still be fed without fearing punishment.

 

It’s beautiful.  God will provide; you participate in the blessing.

 

God will give, but trust that it is enough.  Use what you receive appropriately so no one goes without and nothing goes to waste.

 

God wants you to rest, so take time to breathe, chillax, enjoy.

 

God is presenting a rhythm, a daily ritual, a way to find the holy with them, beside them, around them.

 

The people experienced God in the parting of the Red Sea; now they experience God in the mundane everyday of “Mom- what’s for breakfast?”  “Dad- what’s for dinner?”

 

This is God saying “I will meet you where you are and give you what you need.”

 

We see this in Jesus.  Think of all the ways Christ, the incarnate “I AM” is able to meet people where they are and give them what they require.

 

Like in John 6.  Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee.  People follow him up a mountain.  He sits.  He sees the masses.  He tells the disciples to have them sit down.

 

When the children and adults sit in the abundant grass, Jesus takes 5 barley loaves, gives thanks, and gives it to those ready to receive.

 

There was enough bread as the people could want, and when the meal is finished, Jesus says “Gather up the left-overs so nothing goes to waste.”  There is an abundance of 12 baskets.

 

We see a need, and participation from the people.  We see rest and trust as they sit in the lush grass.  We see supply as folk get what is needed and there’s enough for all.

 

In the stories of our ancestors and ministry of Jesus, we experience the eternal questions-

 

When things are uncertain, will you trust God and when things are in abundance, will you still trust?

 

Today we witness the ways of heaven here on earth, how God’s desire is for everyone to have enough, and our call to both work and rest, receive and trust.

 

These are the ways we experience Christ and transform lives; ways  to honor our heritage and to ensure a future.

 

Ways we see God in the miraculous and the mundane, the personal and the communal.

 

And, as Martin Luther would say “To see the overflowing goodness of God.”

 

Amen.