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Today’s Theme for Prayer – Jesus Calls Me Beyond Myself
How Generous is My Response to the Lord?
“Love is a holy state of the soul, disposing it to value knowledge of God above all created things. We cannot attain lasting possession of such love while we are still attached to anything worldly.” St. Maximus, the Confessor”
Beyond Appearances: A Journey into the Heart of God
I Sam 16:1-13
The LORD said to Samuel: How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for from among his sons I have decided on a king. But Samuel replied: “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and kill me.” To this the LORD answered: Take a heifer along and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I myself will tell you what to do; you are to anoint for me the one I point out to you. Samuel did as the LORD had commanded him. When he entered Bethlehem, the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and asked, “Is your visit peaceful, O seer?” He replied: “Yes! I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. So purify yourselves and celebrate with me today.” He also had Jesse and his sons purify themselves and invited them to the sacrifice. As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the anointed is here before the LORD.” But the LORD said to Samuel: Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The LORD looks into the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel, who said, “The LORD has not chosen him.” Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any one of these.” Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he arrives here.” Jesse had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth with beautiful eyes, and good looking. The LORD said: There—anoint him, for this is the one! Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David. Then Samuel set out for Ramah.
Grace Prayed For
The grace to see as God sees, to let go of preconceived notions, and to trust in the unfolding of His divine plan in my life, even when it seems uncertain or unexpected. I ask for the ability to see with the heart of Christ, moved by the Trinity and the love that moves Him.
Reflection
The Lord’s voice echoes not just in grand pronouncements but in quiet nudges, in the gentle push toward the unexpected. Here, God dismantles Samuel’s grief over a rejected king, redirecting his focus to new possibility, new life. “How long will you grieve,” He seems to whisper to us too, “for what is gone, for what I have not chosen?” It’s a question that cuts through the noise of our heart’s longings, our disappointments. He invites us to let go, to trust that His plan, often unseen, is unfolding with divine precision.
This is not a harsh dismissal of Saul, or of our own discarded hopes, but an invitation to be moved by the gentle current of God’s hand, drawing us toward an unfolding that is uniquely ours.
Samuel’s initial fear, “Saul will hear of it and kill me,” is so relatable. The fear that grips us when stepping into God’s will, the vulnerability of obedience. But God doesn’t berate, He guides, “Take a heifer…say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’” He leads us through the practical, through what is known, to where He waits, where the unknown reveals its holy secrets. He meets us where we are with what we understand.
And the selection process – it’s not just a simple choice. It’s a gentle lesson in the ways of the Trinity. The Father, who sees beyond the surface, beyond the imposing stature, directs Samuel’s gaze inwards. “The Lord looks into the heart.” We’re reminded the Holy Spirit, the life-giver, is not bound by societal expectations, worldly beauty, or human assumptions of who is worthy. He is the very breath that fills the one He desires. He is seeking a heart that belongs to Him, a heart available for the purposes of God. And when God’s chosen one, David, finally comes before Samuel, “ruddily, a youth with beautiful eyes and good looking,” the words are almost an afterthought. The true recognition occurs from a deep recognition in the heart of God.
It is at that moment that the Father declares, “This is the one!” The anointing takes place in an ordinariness of a day, among the brothers, and then, from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David. The work of the Trinity occurs within the most ordinary circumstance. The Father, Son, and Spirit work in concert to achieve a deeper life. The Trinity draws our hearts into a divine embrace, inviting us to lay our lives at His feet in openness to what He will provide.This whole process is about seeing with new eyes—the eyes of the Trinity, the eyes that penetrate and move in ways we can not understand. We’re not just invited to see what God sees, but to be moved by what God sees, to be moved by God’s heart of love.
Growing in Intimacy/Union with Jesus
This passage leads to intimacy with Jesus in several ways:
- Embracing God’s Rejection: Just as the Lord rejected Saul, we also must embrace God’s rejection of certain paths or expectations in our lives, acknowledging that Jesus Himself was rejected. It deepens our trust in the ways of the Father. This requires profound intimacy with Jesus to believe.
- Looking Within: The emphasis on God looking into the heart challenges us to turn our gaze inward, in confession and honesty before the Lord. It encourages self-reflection, an important component of intimacy with Jesus, knowing His gaze upon us.
- Surrender: David’s selection, despite being the seemingly least likely, emphasizes that God’s choices often defy human logic. We are reminded to surrender our assumptions to Him, to be obedient, and to embrace Jesus’ own humility.
- Spiritual Anointing: The image of the Spirit rushing upon David is an invitation for us to seek the same anointing. Jesus, our High Priest, pours the Holy Spirit on us, filling us with divine power, love, and vision.
- Following God’s Lead: Samuel’s journey, filled with questions and uncertainties, mirrors our own. By contemplating this, we are encouraged to seek God’s direction in every situation.
- Divine Mystery: Understanding this process of selecting a King also helps the reader encounter the mystery of God, and the incomprehensible way God works, a beautiful reminder that the ways of the Trinity are not the ways of Man.
In essence, this passage draws us into the very rhythm of the Trinity: The Father’s loving gaze, the Son’s humble obedience, and the Spirit’s transforming power – all are working in us and around us, ready to anoint our lives for a deeper and more intimate walk with Jesus.
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Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post