The Pause That Proceeds Resurrection

Never be swayed by what something looks like,
For it is what’s at it’s  heart that counts.
Never make an important decision Before understanding all of your doubts. Some decisions should not be made hastily before considering all of the options. We must not let our deceitful hearts prevent us from heeding all caution. Yet, the benefit of caution, like that of seasoning,
Depends on the proper amount. The choices we make must be well considered, but very few will be without doubt.
Some choices only seem to be wise, until we uncover the hidden intention. Because, often, the wisest choice we can make, is only the best among the selection.
That’s why we must always make room for God. Take time to invite Him into our reflection.
Because sometimes when  we think God has buried our dream, it’s only the pause that preceeds resurrection..
© Linda Troxell

Israel wanted a King to protect themselves from the Philistines. Yet, their fear belied the faith in God they professed and were called to live. And, yes, their call for a king was disobedient. Still, it was not born of a spirit of disobedience, but a spirit of fear.

Have you ever disobeyed God because you feared what being obedient might cost you? Or perhaps you allowed fear to cause you to overlook or disregard what God was calling you to do?

The Lord anointed Saul as Israel’s first king. He looked big and courageous to the Israelites, but in his heart, he felt small and fearful. So in his fear, as king, Saul always did what was safe. But as he realized the power he wielded as king, Saul became arrogant.
In his arrogance, he stopped doing what was safe and began to do what made sense in his own eyes. Finally, as Saul’s fear gave way to arrogance and arrogance became pride, his pride led him to disobey God and do what glorified Saul rather than what  glorified God.
(1 Samuel 15:1-9 & 12)

God told Saul to destroy
the Amalekites and everything they possessed. But Saul chose to capture the Amalekites’ livestock as sacrifices to the Lord.
(1 Samuel 15: 20)
In Saul’s mind this was not disobedience because his motive was to glorify God. Or was it?

Was Saul really trying to glorify God by bringing the Amalekite livestock back to Jerusalem? Or, perhaps he was seeking  glory for himself as he imagined the people cheering as he paraded into the city trailed by his plunder?

Have you ever justified  doing something by claiming you were doing it for God, when in reality you were doing it to gain the recognition and accolades that come with publicly glorifying God?

Do you know how you might know the difference? Well often, not always, but more often than not, if your true motive is to glorify God, what you do is done anonymously, or in private. (Matthew 6:1)

Because of Saul’s pride and disobedience, God directed Samuel to anoint a new king from among the Sons of Jesse.- (Isaiah 16:1)

When God sent Samuel to choose the new king, Samuel wanted to anoint the first son Jesse showed him—the oldest and largest son who looked like a king. But God rejected that son. 
(1 Samuel 16:6)

It is easy to believe that the first thing God shows us is His final answer. But sometimes He just wants to take us through a process of elimination so in that process He can teach us to be patient and discerning.

So Samuel proceeded to assess each of Jesse’s sons one by one. To Samuel’s eye, they all seemed fit to be king. But God rejected them, one by one. Finally, there was only one son left,the smallest son, the sheep tender-David!
(1 Samuel 16:22)

When David arrived, he had a fine appearance, he was healthy and handsome. Yet he was young and small, unlike the other sons. Samuel thought, surely God could not want to anoint this child, the youngest and smallest son, to be Israel’s king.
(1 Samuel 16:12)

As humans, we often look at appearances and see only stereotypes: a large man is strong and courageous. A small man is weak and lacks courage. A fully grown man is mature and has wisdom and discernment. Whereas, a young man lacks the experience that brings wisdom and discernment.

But where we see what appears to be, God goes straight to the heart and what is. When God looked at David he saw a young man with the heart of a lion, the courage of a warrior, and the faithfulness of man who truly trusts his God.  He did not see a flawless man, nor a perfect man; not even a wholly righteous man. No, what God saw, when He looked at David, was a man after His own heart.

God used the process of elimination to teach Samuel that what the world sees is often a facade. But what God sees is the posture of the heart, and the state of faith, showing Him what is and what will be.

Often what is small and unimpressive in the worldly economy is large and important in the kingdom economy. For God’s thoughts are not like our thoughts, nor are His ways like our ways. (Isaiah 55:8)

God made Samuel wait through the entire process to find David,  the one who appeared to be the most unlikely choice, but was God’s choice. Samuel learned, that having patience through the process is how we cultivate an open heart and a discerning eye.
 
Where might God be asking you to wait for David in your life?