APRIL 13 READINGS...1 Samuel 15:1-17:31
The Lord sent out a command for Saul to lead the armies of Israel to go and utterly destroy the Amalekites. Saul does not obey the Lord completely...instead he keeps the best of the spoil of the Amalekites and brings their king Agag back to his camp. The Lord speaks to Samuel that it grieved Him that He ever allowed Saul to be king...for Saul has no heart that was loyal to the Lord. Saul was filled with himself, and even wanted to make a monument to himself. Samuel arrives and Saul began to boast of his obedience to the Lord...but Samuel would have none of it, and called him to account. Saul thought his partial obedience to God plus his attempt to make the people happy would suffice...Samuel made it clear that the Lord was not accepting this from Saul. Samuel started to leave and Saul grabbed his garment and tore it. Samuel used the tearing of his garment by Saul to speak that God would tear the kingdom from Saul's hand. Samuel then kills Agag, king of the Amalekites.
The Lord tells Samuel to go and anoint a new king...he would find him in the house of Jesse in Bethlehem. When Samuel gets to Jesse's home all the sons of Jesse are brought out to him...he goes through them all except one...David, the one who was out watching the flocks. The Lord tells Samuel not to look to the outside but to look to the inside...for God looks to the heart, not the outward appearance. David is anointed by Samuel, though it would be a great length of time before he can take the throne. The Lord sent a tormenting spirit upon Saul, so that he was in misery...such that only beautiful music could give him relief. The Lord had appointed that David would be the one to play the music to sooth Saul. The time came when the Israelites would be in battle with the Philistine army and their champion Goliath. Goliath was a giant who struck fear into king Saul and his army. When David heard the things that Goliath said against the army of Israel...David was filled with indignation at what he was hearing, and that no one was doing anything about it. David in faith stands and says, "Who is this pagan Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God this way?" Here we see a distinct difference between David and king Saul...David heard and walked with God, while Saul heard and tried to please the people and himself. We don't have to be intimidated by those who speak their ungodly words against the Lord and His people. Stand my friends in the power of the living God...when you do, in Him, you can stand before anyone.
Please share your thoughts from today's readings. Remember that in the Lord you can stand...for when we stand in Him, we stand in the power of His might.
TOMORROW'S READINGS...1 Samuel 17:32-19:17 & Psalm 59 & 1 Samuel 19:18-24
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