Let The Lord Define You

1Samuel 16: 6-7 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD." But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Helen Keller once said, " The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." Keller, the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor's Degree in this country, knew something about looking at things differently than we usually do. We live in a world that judges by appearances and draws conclusions based upon how things seem, instead of how they actually are. If you listen close enough beloved, the world will find all the reasons why you cannot do something. It will find all of the risk and see none of the reward. It will instill in you enough worry and fear to choke away any dream God might be trying to instill in your spirit. Thank fully however, the way we think, is not the way God thinks:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55: 8-9

Thank God for that! Our ways can be very discouraging. Our ways can look and assume. No one is exempt from it. The Prophet Samuel was the last Judge of Israel. He was not corrupt, as his very sons would be. He stood up to Kings and declared what sayeth the Lord. Yet here we see in the key verses above, even Samuel cannot escape making snap human judgments. The scene is this. After having Judges rule Israel, the people rebel and demand from Samuel that a King be appointed. This is essentially a rejection of God, who is the King of Kings for Israel. Nonetheless, despite the warnings from God through Samuel, Israel insists and God relents. Samuel anoints Saul King of Israel. While Saul started out in reverence to God, eventually he would fail God and not obey Him. God then set His eyes on a shepherd boy from Bethlehem. He sent Samuel there to anoint the boy who would be King. All Samuel knew is it was a son of Jesse.

Verse 6 above is the scene where Jesse brings forth his sons one by one to see which one the Lord has decided on. Eliab is the oldest son and his countenance and stature must have been impressive because Samuel reacts within himself and thinks that surely this must be the Lord's anointed! Samuel sees a tall man, well built, rugged and attractive. What is important to man however is often not even noticed by God and the Lord quickly instructs Samuel to not consider the things of man! Because man looks at the outward appearance, while God looks at the heart. Hallelujah!

Throughout the Bible we see God using people we probably would not hire if they came to us on a job interview. Moses was a murderer who had a speech impediment. He wouldn't survive the background check! He also represents our linear way of thinking. We naturally reflect to a horizontal mindset; not a vertical mindset. God appears to Moses in a burning bush. Can you imagine? Wouldn't the awe-inspiring presence of God speaking to you through a burning bush be enough to penetrate the horizontal mindset we have? Apparently not because after God tells Moses he will deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, this was his response to God:

But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"- Exodus 3:11

God assures Moses not to worry because He will be with him. Can you imagine? God has promised all of us who believe upon Him that He will be with us as well. But there we can be also, doubting the very call God has placed upon our lives. Who are we to preach? Who are we to lead a ministry? Who are we to write, to dream, to witness to people and bring them out of the slavery of their Egypt? And today, God says the same thing to you as He spoke to Moses that day I will be with you! Surely this is enough for us and Moses, no?

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"- Exodus 3: 13

Hmmm, negotiating with God? Anyone else find themselves doing this too? Creating scenarios in our head for why we can't do something? Looking for the worst possible scenario? God goes on in the next set of verses to again assuage Moses' concerns and remind him exactly who God is and what he can do; including striking against his enemies. God assures us the very same today. Don't create nightmare scenarios in your imagination to dissuade you from what God has called you to do! But Moses still would not think vertically.

Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?" Exodus 4:1

God gives Moses signs and wonders to perform to Pharaoh to convince him. No matter what reason we can come up with for not following what God wants, He always has the better answer. Realize that God already explained that Moses would deliver the Israelites. Moses is arguing with God for no reason, other than his own insecurities and fears; as we can often do. We can also then turn to our own deficiencies for why we cannot follow God:

Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." Exodus 4:10

I am sure that we too can fall into this pattern of refusing God. We are too slow. We are too old. We are too disabled. But what we forget is that all we have, God has given. All we need, God will provide. And God will not send us somewhere we will not find success if we do it for His glory. Take a close look at the response of God to Moses at this point:

The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." Exodus 4: 11-12

Remember, God made you as you are. He has given you exactly what you need to succeed at what He will have you do. Could it be easier some other way? Possibly; but God is not concerned about our convenience, as much as He is our character. Is it not the Lord? He will help you speak! He will teach you what to say and how to say it! He will walk where you cannot! He will bridge the gaps that seem too wide for you to cross! He cannot however, if you refuse to take the first step of faith and trust that the God that has called you is the same who will deliver you.

The Prophet Jeremiah also objected and tried to rationalize with God when he was called. He said that he did not know how to speak and was only a child. Here was the Lord's response:

But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. ⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD. Jeremiah 1: 7-8

Like Moses before him, Jeremiah is assured by God that his reasoning is based in fear and that he needs to remember that God will be with him and will rescue him. Likewise, God will rescue you today as well. He will be with you as well if you go where He sends you; if you do as He commands. The disciples were uneducated fishermen and a tax collector not exactly the cream of the crop by human understanding. But God did not look at their appearance, just their heart.

And so Samuel was corrected by God that day when he sought the new King. Eliab looked the part but God had rejected him. He would also reject the next six sons brought forth. Samuel had to ask Jesse if that was all of his sons! Jesse had not even considered the youngest, out tending to the flocks. Samuel sent for him; the little red-headed son of Jesse, whom man would never have considered for King but whom God, was able to see into his heart. That youngest son was David and when Jesse brought him forth, Samuel anointed him to be the next King of Israel. Through the lineage of David would come the Messiah, Jesus Christ Himself. The Bible specifically says that Samuel anointed David King, in the presence of his brothers. I am sure there were some confused and even jealous reactions that day. David? The littlest brother? This is the Lord's anointed? Even later in the story of Goliath we see the jealousy of Eliab evident when he rebukes David undeservingly. David would slay Goliath and go on to lead Israel. He wrote the majority of the Psalms and was considered a man after God's own heart. He would sin and err, as any of us do but for this one day God saw into his heart and did not follow the outward appearances man likes to revel in. He saw the boy who would be King.

And God sees into your heart today as well beloved. He sees beyond your outward appearance. He sees beyond your limitations to see the King that you would be for His service and His glory. He does not judge as man does. When you are done negotiating and telling Him all the reasons why you can't, He will still be there as He was for Moses telling you that He will be with you. He will give you the words, where you fail to speak. He will give you the victory, where you might fall. Moses thought he could not possibly do what God set out for him but he led the chosen people to the Promised Land. David's brothers probably thought God made a mistake but David's kingdom and rule proved them wrong. I am sure that the disciples had moments where they were not sure about what they could do but they turned the world upside down! Helen Keller walked in the darkness but did not let the darkness define her. Instead, the light of God that shone through these people were enough to show the world what can happen with just a mustard seed of faith. God has planted that seed in you as well. Let it grow beyond the appearances and trappings of the way man views the world. Let God be God and provide the increase in your life to accomplish the works He has set out for you. Let God define you. Amen.

Anthony Wade February 12, 2009