I Samuel 16:3
“You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you.”
Samuel and Saul are quite the pair when we compare and contrast them. Today's passage has us listening in as the Lord gives instructions to Samuel. As we learned from an earlier passage, Samuel was on a mission that was making him anxious. He was to anoint another as king. He expressed his concern to God when he said, "Saul will kill me, if he learns of this plan". The Lord says not to publicized it. Just to describe it as a banquet.
Samuel is told to invite Jesse and to wait for my further instructions. We will learn in future verses that Samuel sees the sons of Jesse and anticipates which one will be king. It's not as if Samuel doesn't have his thoughts. We will also see that he is wrong on a couple of guesses.
Saul also had his own thoughts. The first time was when Samuel was late for the pre-battle sacrifice. Saul was getting anxious, so he did the sacrifice himself. When Saul eventually arrived, he corrected Saul. The next time was when Israel battled the Amalekites. Saul altered the instructions again. That was the last straw. Another was to replace Saul as king.
Both men have their own thoughts and ideas how things should go. Samuel was living a life pleasing to God, while Saul didn't. What's the difference? Samuel is open to the Lord's correction.
The first step is to be willing to hear it. When we get committed to a course of action, we can be unwilling to hear or change. When we come to Christ, we enter His school. Our life is the classroom. It's a continuous lesson of following His voice.
How does God speak to us? Primarily through the bible. That's the first place we look and the standard by which we compare everything. In the bible we've got the Ten Commandments. Those are things we aren't to do. In the New Testament we learn that we are to go to church, pray, share the good news with others, serve others, give and forgive. These are the general instructions we are all to follow.
The Lord also guides us individually. Proverbs 3:5,6 says, "Trust in the Lord will all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct Your paths." While God doesn't speak to us audibly, He offers course corrections. He will use circumstances, our thoughts, our conscience, others comments and so on. We test these against the bible and pray for His guidance.
We are rarely 100% in certainty with knowing if we are correct. We do the best we can. The Lord understands that this is something we are growing in. We can also get fearful. He understands that as well. If we bring these things to Him, He will build up our courage.
Each day we get another set of opportunities to follow Him. We learn a little more as we go. It's nice to know of His great love and patience. We don't have to get stressed out. Jesus' words in Matthew 11:28-30 provide the wonderful participation that we have with the Lord; “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
We need not be afraid. He isn't stern and demanding, but gentle and humble in heart. If we are stressed out, then don't know Him well enough. That should be a check with in us that something needs to be fixed. If we are worn out by following Him, then something is wrong again, as His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
This makes up our learning to follow Him. Samuel had spent his entire life doing this. He was open to sharing his concerns with God. The Lord understood this and accomadated him. Saul should have brought his concerns to God. Instead he plowed through with his agenda.
Lord, help us to be open to Your voice. Thank You that You are gentle and humble in heart. Thank You that Your burden is light. Help us to be more like Samuel.