FAITH CAPSULE: Ignore your concern by responding to His command fully.  

1Samuel 16

It is written, “He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is careless of his ways will die.” (Proverbs 19:16) Are you keeping His commands that sound in your direction? Are you keeping to your ways instead of His ways? The book of Jonah 1:1-3 stated, “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,  “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.”” Jonah was careless when he responded to his ways. When God calls and sends one out, He will back the called up. In His calling, He makes available what it takes to get to the expected end. Often times, man stumbles and takes a position of self-destruction. Jonah’s business was to only obey as commanded regardless of what seemed right to him or not.

It was God Himself who called Moses out to go and lead the children of Israel out of the bondage that lasted over four hundred years. Moses, out of his concern for God reacted to the rebellious act of the children of Israel towards God. Moses took it upon himself to strike the rock instead of speak to the rock for water. God responded to Moses, “Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” (Numbers 20:12)

The same God sent Samuel to go and anoint David as king while Saul was still living as the King. Samuel was concerned about God’s command when he asked, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” (1 Samuel 16:2) Out of concern, Samuel could have responded by going his own way. God responded to Samuel’s question, “…Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”1 Samuel 16:2-3) Samuel’s concerned could not corrupt his obedience to God’s command. God alone knows the end from the beginning, He knew us before we were born. Disallow your concern by allowing His command to be established.

Prayer for today: Ask God for grace to constantly respond to His command without concerns which caused compromise.