The Lord commands Samuel to go to Jesse and anoint one of
his sons as the king. Samuel has some
fear of Saul even though he is grieving over the Lord's judgment on this
man. Has Samuel's life meant nothing
that they have asked for a king and the king he anointed has now proven to be
rejected by God? It is a great favor the
Lord extends to Samuel to have him anoint the new king. He is given a pretense by which to disguise
his trip, he is going to offer sacrifice.
It is interesting that the first son presented for consideration is a
tall man, just like Saul. This is no
rebuke to Samuel for having anointed Saul, not only did he hear the Lord speak
in that instance, remember that Saul's choice was also proven by lot to all the
people along with fulfillment of several prophetic words. Everyone is learning something, that God's
ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. The most obvious choice for greatness isn't
always the right choice. Even Jesse
didn't think to bring David in for review but he was the one God chose. If you are being overlooked today, remember
God isn't overlooking you at all, just waiting for the right moment to raise
you up in His service.
I believe that the disciples on the road to Emmaus are
likewise folks who weren't prepared to believe Jesus was resurrected bodily
from the dead. He was among them, they
believed in Him, but they couldn't see Him because not in their wildest
imaginings did they expect Him. Even as
He was with them on the road, explaining resurrection, they couldn't see what
and who was right in front of them.
Finally, in the breaking of bread together their eyes were opened and
they recognized Him, just in time for Him to vanish from their sight. Now, they have to decide if it really
happened. In spite of the fact that it
is near evening and the day is now far spent they pack up and return to
Jerusalem, a seven mile walk, to share this news with the others. We are not told how this word is received,
only that they found the eleven and told them.
Does your heart long for experiences like this, where the Lord is moving
and people are so excited about what He is doing that they will make any
sacrifice to share it?
Peter and Cornelius have encounters with God. Cornelius is a good man, a devout man, a man
who cares about others and acts on that concern. He has apparently done everything except be
circumcised and convert to Judaism. The
Lord has heard and seen his faith and consequent works and now sends an angel
to him which terrifies him. The angel,
however, tells him about Peter and that he is to summons Peter from Joppa. Did the angel tell him why? Peter receives a vision of his own. He is
hungry and while they are fixing his food and he is praying, he sees a vision
of all kinds of animals and then hears a word to rise, go, kill, and eat. The Lord has removed the dietary restrictions
because, as we will soon learn, the mission will require eating with Gentiles,
the unclean. God sometimes moves in the
most surprising ways!
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