1 Samuel 16:1-13
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears 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 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare 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 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.” 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 sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And 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 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
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Samuel was having a difficult day. Scriptures record the difficulty. Scriptures are so real. Can we easily picture a High Priest, a Prophet of God say - "Please don't do this. Please don't send me. Please don't endanger me. Please don't change your plan." Nope.
1 Samuel 3:19
And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
And Samuel - grieved not his words - not the loss of the plan - Samuel grieved over the man Saul. The handsome, tall youth Samuel had been so understanding to allow the Children of Israel pass over his sons for a king. For Saul. Samuel loved the Lord and Samuel had coached and loved Saul.
Photo of Bethlehem 19th century
Samuel wasn't Isaiah saying, "Here I am send me, Lord!"
The Body of Christ is diverse.
Ephesians 3
4 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Exodus 3:14
God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
How Much Does God Love You?
1 John 4:9
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
When God says He is "I AM", HE is including the believers who...
Romans 10:9
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
2 Timothy 1:14
By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
That is a Bold and Big Statement. John, Jesus' Disciple said more. So did Paul.
Romans 6
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
The Scriptures are messy. Samuel made Jesse and his sons - stand and wait - to do the will of God for their determination - to complain against a Work of God. Something Samuel might know something about. We are all fallen and short of the Will and Love of God. Yet our work is to believe God and go forth in Him. Pulling up His Grace and Forgiveness to continue to be sent from God forth.
What does the human component of God look like?
According to the little town of Nazareth - Jesus and his brothers and sisters looked like Joseph. Joseph did the work of a Father - a Step-father making a family known as a unit. Joseph looked like Jesus.
Matthew 13:55
"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
Mark 6:3
Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?"
Blessed are You Jesus Christ, Son of God. Savior of the world and mine. Let us desire mercy and not sacrifice in our words. Help us to do the will of our Father in heaven and be His brother and sister and mother. In Jesus we expect to be equipped, empowered, and led with compassion on the path and in the Good Works He would have us do. In forgiveness. Amen in Jesus.
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