Reading – 1 Samuel 15-16

Highlight Verse:

“But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” “Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord.”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭16‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We do not know for certain how much time elapsed between chapters 15 and 16.

One thing is certain, Saul and Samuel had changed.

In chapter 15, Samuel stood up to Saul for his sins.

In chapter 16, Samuel feared Saul to the point that he questioned God’s instructions.

God, who could have easily protected Samuel, was gracious enough to allow him to go to Bethlehem on the pretext of offering a sacrifice. (Not a lie, by the why).

God was also gracious enough to show Samuel definitively who was to be king.

I believe God already knew David’s character, proven in his time tending sheep.

David used his time tending sheep wisely:
• He protected the sheep skillfully.
• He gave genuine praise to God through song writing and playing the harp (presumably a small portable one) and singing.
• He carried on honest conversations with God (as seen in his Psalms).
• And he practiced humility in his position as the youngest of eight.

The bottom line is that God did what He needed to set up David as the next king of Israel.

While I am sure that God wants us to have unwavering faith, I also know that He will be gracious enough to work through us where we are.

While we obey God where we are, we do well to follow David’s example and be humble enough to learn and grow into what God has called to be.

Have you had times, like Samuel, when faith to obey God’s orders was hard to come by?
What did you do to overcome lack of faith and to, like David, grow through humility?