1-20-23

Jan 20, 2023

The bible tells us over and over of God’s love, that we are his children and that He died for us. That we do nothing on our own to earn his love, but even after all of this, have you ever felt “less than”? Have you ever felt “not quit enough”? I knew it in my mind that I was a “daughter of the most high King”, but I had a hard time taking it INTO my soul. I knew his promises are for me. I KNEW that if I were the only person in the world, he would have gone through that horrible death and torture to save just ME. Truth be told, I was a very mature adult when I think it FINALLY sunk in.

I was thinking about David as a young shepherd out in his field with the sheep. Then God told Samuel to go to Jesse and God would tell him which one of the sons would be the next king. One by one, each young man was brought before Samuel.

1 Sam 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

As I read this passage, I imagine the first son being tall, dark and ruggedly handsome. Good kingly material. But that is NOT what God looks at. God knew that from an early age, David sought to please God. The Hebrew word for “youngest son” is “haqqaton”. It doesn’t just mean youngest, it implies runt, or hobbit. I had to google hobbit. It is a person ½ the size of normal. Of course David was not small physically, but I think they suggest that he was looked upon like this. Pretty much a “no account”.  But David was faithful to God and he prayed often and had much faith, even at a young age. He knew that his position as a lowly shepherd was not revered by anyone, but he didn’t care. He did not think of himself too highly to be a shepherd. He held his head high, did the hard work all while speaking with God. He learned out in that field that God was with him while he fought lions and bears to save his sheep. God was preparing David for the work of his life while he was out in that field. So, he KNEW that God would be with him in this battle. Why did God choose a young shepherd boy to save the Israelites? He didn’t look at the outward appearance, he looked at his heart. God knew that David would be obedient. I have always wondered why David chose 5 smooth stones for his pouch. Maybe simply because that’s how many God told him to get. God knew it would only take 1.

What did Daniel, in the lions’ den, David with Goliath, and Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego in the fiery furnace all have in common? They did not suddenly have a faith so big. They did not grow that faith as they stood in those spots. Daniel walked into the lions’ den with faith.

In Dan 3, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego told the king: Dan 3:17-18 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

This was not the statement of men who were yet learning to trust God. These were men with confidence.

So today I am saying to you and to me, let’s take God seriously. Let’s seek him intentionally. Let’s do it NOW and be building that faith that we WILL need sometime in the future!

Lord, help us today to be faithful as we pursue you. Give us faith, when we are low. Give us courage to boldy proclaim, MY God can!  Amen.

 

Shirlene Peterson