 First Samuel Chapter 16 verse 4 tells us that Samuel did what the LORD commanded and traveled from his home, in Ramah to Bethlehem, to anoint the next king.
So, me, I had to know how long the journey was from point A to point B. The distance is said to be roughly 35 miles. Oh, and by the way, the road from Samuel’s home in Ramah to Bethlehem passed by Gibeah where Saul had his headquarters. Samuel had to pass, and possibly come face to face with what he once feared. Imagine that walk of faith. 😱 Yes, I think Samuel might have battled with fear at least once on this journey. You think so, too? Now, me, no doubt about it. I know I would have battled with fear during that more than a marathon trip. Especially as I came closer and closer to Gibeah. Who am I kidding! Probably even after passing it, too. Hmmm. So, what’s the takeaway? As you and I walk out our purpose, things around us may trigger us to fear but we must remember to do what Samuel did: Keep it moving while staying focused on purpose. 😃 Be Strengthened and Encouraged in HIM, Liz
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 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for Myself a king among his sons. And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “ Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice , and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for Me him who I declare to you.” 1 Samuel 16:1-3 ESV
By now you have got to be thinking, “When are we going to move on from these passages?” This week my friend. This week. 😀 So, here we see the LORD had a plan to replace Saul with another king. Here the LORD provided the details that Samuel needed at the time. Notice the LORD didn’t tell him exactly who He had selected to be king. What is also interesting is Samuel didn’t run and tell anyone either. Moving forward he only involved those who were pertinent to the plan. So, maybe sometimes I don’t need to know the full plan before moving forward. Sometimes I just need to go ahead and execute what God has asked me to do even when the plan may not include all the specifics. Maybe I just need to move forward and continue to listen for His voice and His direction along the way. Trust His plan will unfold in His time. Trust God along the way. 💜 And maybe sometimes I don’t need to let others know the plan. 😮 Maybe I just need to let those who are key to the plan in on it. Trusting God along the way. 💜 Just some nuggets to ponder. ☺️ Be Strengthened and Encouraged in HIM!  In 1 Samuel Chapter 16, when God tells Samuel to go, one of Samuel’s responses back to God is, “If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”
Samuel knew that even after all the years of growing together, working together, getting to know each other, supporting each other, loving each other, Saul would react negatively if he heard the plan. Samuel knew that if Saul heard that he was on his way to anoint someone else as king that Saul would hunt Samuel down and try to kill him. Samuel knew Saul would not allow him to walk out God’s plan without a fight. Saul would quickly go from friend to foe. As I sat back and noodled on this I thought, Liz, and you know what? Sometimes the enemy is not going to just allow you to walk out your calling. He will do whatever it takes to try and prevent you from doing what God has purposed you to do. What God has called you to do no one can stop you but you. Your limit just may be you. 💜 Be Strengthened and Encouraged in HIM!  The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for Myself a king among his sons. And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “ Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice , and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for Me him who I declare to you.” 1 Samuel 16:1-3 ESV
God, I need help here. I get what You want me to do but I am really struggling with the how? How in the world do You expect for me to do this? You know Saul. He is not going to just allow me to walk this thing out. He is not going to give up without a fight. If he finds out I am going to anoint another king to replace him he won’t think twice about killing me. God’s response to Samuel wasn’t, “Good grief! What’s your problem? How long have we been doing this? And you want to know how?” Nope. Not at all. God loved the fact that Samuel came to Him with his fears. With his questions. I bet God loved the fact that Samuel trusted Him with his innermost thoughts and concerns. I bet Samuel loved the fact that God wasn’t harboring ‘ill will’ at the fact it took Samuel a minute to move on from his personal pity party related to Saul’s demise as king. ☺️ Samuel had a relationship with God. Samuel sought God. He went to God for guidance and direction. He engaged in a dialog with God. Samuel trusted God. God had a relationship with Samuel. God revealed truth to him. God led, and provided, and showed compassion towards him. God heard Samuel’s concerns, his heartfelt honesty, and showed him how to move forward. Weaved throughout the word of God are beautiful aspects of a relationship between God and Samuel. God and others, too, for that matter. This is what God so desires: A relationship between God and you; God and me, too. 💙 Be Strengthened and Encouraged in HIM!  Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. Acts 13:21 ESV
The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go.” 1 Samuel 16:1a ESV So, imagine someone working with you for roughly forty years. Then you have to let them go😞 Samuel might have reminisced about his first encounter with Saul and how Saul didn’t even think he was fit for the job. Saul expressed he didn’t think he had what it took to fulfill the requirements. I imagine Samuel thought about how Saul never told his uncle about his new leadership appointment when he returned home from finding the donkeys. His uncle clearly knew something was different about Saul but Saul never breathed a word. I bet Samuel chuckled when he thought about the day Saul was announced as king over the Israelites and they couldn’t even find him. The knucklehead was hiding. Oh, what about the time the children of Belial despised Saul in his newly appointed position over them. They didn’t bring Saul any presents. Saul just held his piece. I meant peace. 😃 On a serious note, Saul didn’t even let it bother him. Now Saul would no longer be part of the team. Saul was no longer God’s trusted king. Samuel’s right hand man. Forty years. Samuel and Saul must have developed quite a relationship for Samuel to grieve like this. Samuel had a dilemma. How do I move on? And God had a response: Let’s go and press forward. Complete your mission. Do what you were called to do. Life will present us with disappointments, no doubt. And, yes, grieving is normal and healthy to a point. The key is personally knowing when it is time for you to move forward. Byron Pulsifer sums it up well. “Persistence - the ability to keep moving forward, in spite of difficulties.” Be Strengthened and Encouraged in HIM, Liz  Ever think why didn’t Saul keep silent once Samuel commented on hearing the sheep and cattle? (Found in 1 Samuel 15:13&14) Why didn’t he just admit he screwed up? Why didn’t he do something to accept responsibility?
When Samuel confronted Saul on not obeying God’s instructions, instead, Saul makes matters worse. In the midst of the dialog Saul tries to defend himself by blaming it on the people. Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.” 1 Samuel 15:15 NIV The ‘ole “It wasn’t my fault. It was the people” excuse. Somebody should have told Saul, “Hush. Let’s think about this son. This excuse didn’t work for Adam so what makes you think it will work for you?” 🧐 The truth of the matter is sometimes accepting responsibility for our disobedience can be a hard thing to do. 🤷🏽♀️ Just a little something to ponder. Be Strengthened and Encouraged in HIM, Liz  Say to the Daughter of Zion [inhabitants of Jerusalem], Behold, your KING is coming to you, lowly and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey [a beast of burden]. Matthew 21:5 AMP
At one point in Jesus journey, HE is riding on a beast of burden. A draught animal created, or one could say purposed, to carry or pull heavy loads. Said to be a hardy animal in that they can survive much: extreme temperatures, poor diet, lack of water and neglect would be the shortlist. The one purposed to carry heavy loads carrying ONE purposed to do the same. The one purposed to survive much carrying ONE who survived it all. Our KING came in riding on a beast of burden with the weight of the world on HIS shoulders. Are you burdened with all that is going on in the world today? Are you anxious? Worrisome? Concerned? So here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Leave all your cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord, and measureless grace will strengthen you. Psalms 55:22 TPT Be Strengthened and Encouraged in HIM, Liz  Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched. 1 Samuel 10:26 NIV
Look at that. Saul now has followers. 😀 At one point, Samuel gives strict instructions to Saul to go and fight the Amalekites. Samuel tells Saul to totally destroy every thing that belongs to the Amalekites and to kill all the people, too. Found in 1 Samuel Chapter 15. Saul and his army go and defeat the Amalekites. But Saul spares the life of the Amalekite king. Saul and his army also keep everything that they considered good. So, back in the day, that would be the best of the sheep, cattle, fatted calves and lambs. Later Samuel goes to see Saul. See, God has given Samuel the inside scoop. God revealed to Samuel that Saul did not completely obey the instructions. God, also, told Samuel that Saul would no longer be king and God had given the role to someone else. So, Samuel arrives to convey the message to Saul and my summary of the conversation goes like this: Saul greets Samuel and excitedly says: “Hey, what’s up, my friend. I did what the LORD asked!” I imagine Samuel pausing, and then looking up at Saul, with resignation and saying, “Hey, what’s up Saul. Hold on. Wait. I hear something. You hear that? Man, that sounds like sheep and oxen. “Oh that! Well, what had happened was…. “. I imagine with a look of reproach Samuel thinking, while refraining from slapping him on the back of his head, “Saul! Quit. Just quit! Did you really think God wouldn’t know? All the LORD asked was that you obey HIM. Yet, you didn’t! You had it made, Saul. What were you thinking? Well, thanks for your service but it will no longer be needed.” The fact of the matter: Obedience is that serious. Father, As we grow in our purpose, help to keep us obedient to Your Word. In Jesus Name, Amen. Be Strengthened and Encouraged in HIM, Liz Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king. 1 Samuel 15:23b NIV  Only fear the LORD and serve HIM faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things HE has done for you. 1 Samuel 12:24 ESV
Today, in the midst of all that is going on in our world, pause, and take a moment to consider what great things God has done for you. 🙌🏽 Be Strengthened and Encouraged in HIM, Liz  Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 1 Samuel 12:23 ESV
There was a season where Samuel was anointed to be judge over Israel. I like to say he was their assigned leader. But sometimes the Israelites sure didn’t act like it. Sometimes they ignored his guidance taking it upon themselves to do whatever they felt was best. But Samuel didn’t quit. Whether the flock listened or not. Whether they did what they were supposed to do or not. Samuel continued to pray for the Israelites and guide them. In the face of adversity, Samuel continued at his post fulfilling the purpose as God intended. He did what he was called to do. He remained focused and was obedient to the will of God for his life. An aspect of leadership: Standing firm and letting nothing move you knowing who God created you to be Father, As we serve in our positions, whatever they may be, help us to remain focused on fulfilling the purpose as You intended for us. Especially in the moments when it feels as if no one is cooperating or even listening. In Jesus Name, Amen. Be Strengthened and Encouraged in HIM, Liz |
Hey There! I'm LizFounder of Ezra728 with a purpose of creating inspiring messages to strengthen and encourage primarily us gals across the globe. Guys, don't fret. You are definitely welcome, too. Archives
April 2020
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