At First Sight? Nah!

1 Samuel 16: 7

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

One of my first struggles as a music missionary in Windsong is the discovery of my pool of supporters. I have no problem serving His church for free. As a pastor’s kid, I’ve been raised doing that. But to take that step and invite people to partner with me, to carry the same burden I have and feel,  to trust me with their allotted offering to God, is just faith-stretching. I have to admit, I tried running and reasoning, but both later surfaced as pride. Next issue is the logical inclination to approach people on the basis of their economic status. But all the more God surprised me by providing through ravens and widows. It’s so humbling, and heart-melting.

Samuel saw Eliab’s appearance and height and considerably thought him as Israel’s next king. With Saul as only standard, we could have given him our votes too. But Saul failed as king. Shouldn’t we look through where we faltered too? There’s no hiding the fact that ‘man looks at the appearance’. It’s a depraved given. Charm before character, craving before calorie counting, credentials before commitment. We are not saying here that physical appearance is all-wrong. God created beauty for His glory. Even David was mentioned here as having fine and handsome features. As stand-alone factor to qualify him as king, it wouldn’t suffice. Not even for the position of being one’s lifetime partner or as company manager, right? But God saw his heart, and it beats after His’. We couldn’t see one’s heart in one sitting. There’s just no thing as love at first sight. You have to work on your relationship, spend time with him, get to know him. David’s faithfulness in taking care of those little sheep made him the perfect Shepherd for God’s bigger flock. What God saw in time, we want in an instant. No wonder we're just getting skin deep.

How about God? Do we know His heart or just His name? Do we thank Him for now but trust Him not for tomorrow? Shall we accept only good things from His hand, and not trouble? Faith sees beyond the externals, the obvious, and sometimes, even the sensible. For where His ways are boundless, the purposes of His heart and His steadfast love is forever. Take time. It’s the only way we’ll hear a heart tick!

Come Clean

1 Samuel 16: 4b-5a

The elders of the town trembled when they met him. “Do you come in peace?” Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come...”

I had a bible study facilitator years back that for some reason, as if a habit, whenever she comes in, all of us just gets dead quiet. Worse if she tells you to meet with her one-on-one within the week for some coffee and personal sharing. We don’t dislike her or anything. She’s actually a very dear lady to many. But there’s something about her truthfulness that can shake us to the core. Reading our text today, I’ve think I’ve found our puzzle piece. It wasn’t her that we dread. It was the double-edged sword of God’s truth that no guilty man would readily want to meet.

Being a prophet and judge, Samuel had that same reputation. Twice did he cry out to God and He thundered from heaven. No wonder the people of Bethlehem trembled at his arrival. Sin-keeping makes any town liable to destruction. But God’s grace brought not judgment that day. It was salvation. It was honor far beyond they could ask or imagine. For from this little town, God will not just anoint a king after His own heart, but a Son whom He loves and with whom He is well-pleased.  Samuel then calls everyone to prepare for worship. Regardless if the agenda is more of celebratory than cleansing, it is still imperative to wash their garments before they approach God. We have more reasons to tremble before our holy God than any man. Beautifully, His invitation is to draw near Him to purify us. The stillness of being in His presence is not the dead-quiet fear we dread, but a life-giving truth because He holds all things together.

Do we have the same impact on others? Do our friends identify us with truth or are we seated with them in mockery? We will sure hear name labels, but what is that compared to the cross Jesus bore? Let them tremble awhile, if that could startle some switches. But do invite them for worship. Teach them how to come clean and all.  By faith, and yes, in the fear of the Lord. 

                                                                                                       

No! Now Go.

1 Samuel 16: 1-3

The Lord said to Samuel “How long will you mourn for Saul since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way.” (v2) But Samuel said “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you… to sacrifice, and I will show you what to do.” 

Ten years ago, God used this verse to wake me up from the pits. I had been crying over a broken relationship for months, and that morning, I received a text message saying he’s getting married. I managed a congrats reply, but right after, I found my knees shaking, my heart out of breath, and streams just flowed from my eyes. Running to God for comfort, I opened His word expecting a feel-good embrace. But He gave me one word: “Enough!” It was cold waters to my burning, brat face, but it did wash off my insanity. Gathering myself up, I sincerely sought His direction for me. I was of course hoping it would be as concrete as an events calendar or a person’s name (haha!), but He said, “Worship Me, and Walk with Me”. 

Samuel was boxed up in his loyalty and couldn’t seem to let go of his king. Maybe he even prayed for God to withdraw His hand and re-open Saul’s case. As a Father, God surely did continue to love Saul regardless of his rebellion. But justice will not alter His decision to reject him as king. When we commit public sins, we have the assurance of being fully restored to His family once we turn 180 degrees and promised to move forward. However, it will not always allow us to return to our previous leadership positions. It is an unseen future that feared even the already-mature Samuel. Amazingly, God saw a speck of willingness in our ‘hows’.  His call now shifts to taking up the shield of faith by going where He leads. If God’s concern is getting the job done, He could easily give the next king’s name and the location where he’s tending the sheep. He loves Samuel so much He wants to honor him with the joy of once again seeing His salvation to Israel. And it wouldn’t be a complete treat without letting the old man relive his old days by hearing from God directly and seeing His will unfold before his eyes, one step at a time. Oh how beautiful! What a caring, considerate God we have!

Stop signs are meant to hold us awhile, give time for other things to pass, then make us turn right or cross the other side. It allows us to rest, have a glimpse of the view, maybe sing along with the kids on board. So that when God finally hits go, we’ll say it was a necessary break for us to enjoy the journey as much as seeing the destination. I think it’s obvious now not to pitch your tents on the stop sign, right?