Wednesday, July 12: “Stubborn Obedience”

“Stubborn Obedience”

1 Samuel 16: 11, 12: “Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are these all the children?’ And [Jesse] said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.’ Then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ So he sent and brought him … And the Lord said, ‘Arise, anoint him, for this is he.’”

Once he had determined that his own obedience was complete, yet the promised candidate for Israel’s throne had not surfaced, Samuel did not compromise. He knew that Jesse was holding out on him, and he did not accept that lack of obedience. He didn’t settle for second-best; through his own stubbornness he showed Jesse’s whole family what perfect obedience is all about. And the rest is history …