Dear Friends,
We hope this week's devotional will encourage you in your spiritual walk. We give thanks to Rev. Pam Reed, Registrar and Student Support Tutor, for writing this devotional.
You are welcome to share this and include it in your church newsletters if you wish; we just ask that you please give credit to NTC and the author. Thank you!
1 Samuel 16:1-13 (NRSV)
16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do, and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5 He said, “Peaceably. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely his anointed is now before the Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him, for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.” 12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him, for this is the one.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
Devotional
It’s the Heart that Matters
I’m sure we’ve all done it: looked at someone and decided in an instant whether they are trustworthy or someone we could relate to. And if you’re like me, you may find out later that your first impression, that instant judgment, wasn’t accurate.
King Saul had failed badly – very soon after he was anointed as king. The people of Israel wanted a king, to be like other peoples. God had chosen his people to be different – God was their sovereign, so much better than an earthly king. Eventually God gave in to the demands of the Israelites and gave them a king. Saul was tall and handsome and powerful, seemingly a perfect king. BUT Saul’s actions led him to be rejected by God. (e.g. 1 Samuel 13:7-14; 15:1-35)
Enter the prophet Samuel ready to anoint a new king, as per God’s command (1). He was afraid to do this, as were the leaders of Bethlehem, where he’d been directed to go. Anointing a new king was treasonous behaviour – punishable by death.
When Samuel was directed to Jesse’s family in Bethlehem, his initial judgement was faulty. Like us, he looked at the outward appearance of Jesse’s sons, seeking to anoint someone who was physically strong as well as good looking. But God rebuked Samuel – and taught him that it’s not outward appearances that matter, but the heart (7).
David, the least important member of the family, was chosen to be the next king. Interestingly, he was good-looking (12), but more importantly he was a young man seeking God with all his heart. Like all people in the Bible (and like us) David had his flaws, and made mistakes, but he also repented and sought God’s forgiveness.
Our God looks at our hearts also:
- Are we turning towards God or turning away from him?
- Are we keeping short accounts with God, seeking his forgiveness?
- Are we willing to forgive others for their failures?
- Are we trying to see the best in others; to look at their potential and their hearts, not just outward appearances?
Prayer
Loving God, thank you that you don’t judge people by outward appearances, or past triumphs or failures. Thanks that you look at our hearts and see the potential in us, even when no one else does. Help us to continually turn to you so that we might grow in wisdom and knowledge to become more Christlike. Amen.
Blessings,
Pam Reed (Registrar and Student Support Tutor)