#DailyDevotion God Doesn’t Judge By Outward Appearance. He Judges The Heart. How Will You Fare?
July 31st
Read 1 Sam 16:1–23
1Sa 16:4-7 Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” (5) And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. (6) When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.” (7) But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
Samuel being only human started by judging Jesse’s sons by their outward appearance. The Lord however tells him and us that is not how He judges people. The Lord judges the hearts of men. Already the Lord had judged David as one who would listen to Him and obey his Word when He gave it. That is not to say that David was a slouch. His appearance was ruddy, beautiful eyes and handsome. But again, that is not what the Lord was judging David on. No, the Lord was choosing David because of what was on David’s hearts. Not only was David’s heart known to the Lord but a certain young man in the service of Saul recognized David for who he was as well. It is interesting to note his description compared to what his brothers thought of him later on when it was time to face Goliath. But this young man saw in David someone skillful in playing music, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech and a man of good presence. Sometimes those closest to us as a brother are blinded by familiarity and do not see us for who we really are.
David is the eighth son of Jesse. Eight in the bible is the number of new beginnings. There were 8 people in the Ark for a new world. Circumcision took place on the eighth day making boys members of Israel. David is going to be something new. Indeed he would be the new dynasty to take over Israel from Saul. Being the youngest boy we also see that God chooses not the way man chooses. David was certainly God’s choice.
Now just as David judged the heart of David and found him worthy, what will God, the Lord find when he judges your heart? Rom 10:10 “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” What you confess with your mouth is what you believe. It shows people what is on your heart. Will the Lord Jesus find a heart that will do all that His Word says? Will your heart be found to one which trust the Word of the Lord which says that Jesus is your Rock, your Life, your Salvation or does your heart trusting someone or something else? What does your mouth confess? The good news is when Jesus found you and invited you into His heart you were not people who trusted solely in Him wanting to do everything He has commanded. No, you were weak, sinners, and enemies of God when Jesus died and won salvation for you. You did not trust in Him when He knocked on the door of your heart and invited Himself in, casting out the demons there with His Word and replacing them with His Holy Spirit. All this, he did purely out of grace, a free gift for you.
Lord Jesus Christ, we pray that now that you have taken possession of our hearts through the Holy Spirit by the gospel, we pray that you will find us always faithful to you and your Word as David your ancestor by the flesh was faithful to you. Amen.