Gifts & Guidance: Reflections from 1 Samuel

God’s Gives for his Glory

Inspired by 1 Samuel1-2:11

God gives us gifts of all sorts. Some we ask for, many we don’t. Our responsibility is to use every gift God has provided to worship him. Whether it is praying a prayer of worship for only God to hear, loving others, or spreading the gospel everything we have is to be used for God’s glory.

            

Hannah prayed for a son, she knew he would be a gift from God, and his life would be used to glorify God. God is faithful, he hears Hannah’s desperate prayer, and delights in answering. (More on living for God's glory).

God Lets Us Choose Him

Inspired by 1 Samuel 3

God calls Samuel repeatedly (3 times) before Samuel is ready to listen. God does not force his words on Samuel. He waits until Samuel answers and asks for God to speak when Samuel hears God’s call a fourth time.

God doesn’t force his words on Samuel, he won’t force them on us. We must be ready and willing to listen when he calls. (More on the choices God gives us).

God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways

Inspired by 1 Samuel 8-10

             

Saul is anointed king. He looks like a king, broad and incredibly tall. He is the living image of human strength, but behaves as a coward and hides. God continually shows Israel that they do not know the way. They think Saul is strong, he isn’t. They expect their king to come from some well-established family, he doesn’t. Because, ultimately, God’s ways our not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:5-9).

What gifts has God given you? Were they gifts you asked for? Share in the comments below.

*These come from a series of reflections I jotted down as I read 1 Samuel in March of 2013.