I Samuel 9:21
‘Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?”’
We addressed this verse the last time we were in Samuel. However, Saul’s question needs to be addressed. Why did Samuel speak to him in such glowing terms? We can generalize this to us. Why does the Lord speak to us so highly? It’s because of His love.
What does He say about us? There are numerous places in scripture which speak of His love, His grand plans for us and how highly He speaks of us. Jeremiah 31:3 says, ‘The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”‘ He has always loved us. Ephesians 1:4 says that He chose us before the foundation of the world. What a contrast to our experience. Most of us have felt rejection. The proverbial fear of being chosen last at school yard games. Not so with God. He chose us.
The end of the Jeremiah passage speaks of how “He has drawn us with lovingkindness”. All day long He works for our good, as well as drawing us to Himself. We see this in the long view. However, circumstances often don’t feel good. Yet Romans 8:28 promises that He’ll do just that. Also, much in life doesn’t feel loving, but as we trust Him, He draws us in lovingkindness. What a wonder to be so loved.
These paragraphs have addressed His love and hinted that He uses life’s circumstances. He wants to bless our lives with a great future. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'” As we trust Him with our daily circumstances, He uses that to guide us in a great path. It’s such a good fit for us. It usually is something we haven’t thought of for ourselves. I Corinthians 2:9 says, ‘But as it has been written: “What no eye has seen, and no ear has heard, and has not entered into heart of man, what God has prepared for those loving Him.”‘
The last aspect of His love that I’ll address is how highly He speaks of us. Psalm 139:17, 18 says, “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.” This is amazing. We would expect our loved ones to have half a dozen good things to say about us. God’s list about us is unending. I don’t understand it, but I’m encouraged that someone is for me with so much force.
Just like Saul was surprised that Samuel, God’s representative, spoke so highly of him, we are as well. His love towards us is amazing, comforting and so on.
Lord, thank You for all You do for us. Help us to take that to heart. Help us to feel Your love. Thank You, Lord.