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Mini-Worship
June 4-9, 2024
1. Center yourself (take a few deep breaths and quiet down)
2. Enter the Presence of God
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
O send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling.
Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy;
and I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God.
3. Confession
God of all blessings, as a deer is thirsty for the water, I come to your presence. Cleanse away the pollution from the world of this week. Renew me. Strengthen me. Speak to me with your holy word. Transform me. I love you. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
4. Scripture Reading
1 Samuel 16:1-13
1The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” 4Samuel 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?” 5He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the LORD.” 7But 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 does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 9Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 10Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.” 11Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” 12He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
Thoughts to share and to ponder
The succession in leadership in any human groups is oftentimes controversy. Many things can catch people’s eyes at first: outward appearance, the height of one’s stature, high public and social profile, birth order, strong personality, close ties with the selector, skills and power to control and manipulate.…
In our Scripture, Samuel was called to start a new search for a new leader. God directed him to Jessie’s family. God also told him one of Jessie’s sons will be chosen. Samuel went. But which one? Samuel kept two things in mind. First, he decided not to be fooled by appearance and birth order. He wanted to see one’s heart. Secondly, He made sure to see “all”, everyone of Jessie’s sons.
David was outside. He could miss the opportunity of interview and he could be left out naturally. Keeping the sheep was not a work with high social profile. His world was sheep, sky, wild field. He must be lonely most of time. He probably was not very good at human relationship building and keeping. He had lots of work to do- searching for the good land; upkeeping the grass in it seasonally; knowing where the clear water can be found, knowing how to get to the water which might be hidden behind the mountains through the winding and narrowed paths; tending and caring the slow and weak sheep and fighting against the strong wild animals, chasing and finding the lost and wandering sheep, counting and watching over the sheep… All these works demanded his intellectual mind, physical strength, and emotional energy…
Surprising? Being a shepherd was not a noble work in David’s time. But God found treasures in it. Indeed, David learned how to care, how to lead, how to manage, how to calculate, how to be attentive, how to be courageous, how to self-care, how to read the weather, how to recognize the directions… through his work. God used all these little works to shape his personhood and his career competency. David was faithful in whatever he did and wherever he was placed.
God has a life plan for each one of us. He sees each person from above. He sees each one’s most inner being and heart desire. He does use the multi-tasks in our daily works to build up strong characters and competency for the next level of work. In His timing, he brings in promotion to that person unmistakably and precisely.
Where are you? What do you do? Knowing this: God has a plan for us. He does not waste our time. He is the author and completer of the plans in our lives. Let us be faithful and be hopeful in what we are doing with our mind, our strength, and our emotional energy.
Prayer suggestions
Recognize where I am and what work in my hands. Believe that God has a plan for you. Be faithful and be hopeful in what you do. Trust that God will bring his plan to complete in His timing.
Dear God, glad to know that it is not by accident that I am in where I am and I am doing what I am doing. Enable me to be faithful in what I am doing with many fold wisdom. Help me to find joy and pleasure in it. Shape my character and increase my competency. Glad to know that you know my future. I can confidently trust in you. Thanks. God. In the name of Jesus Christ.
5. Benedictions
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
Prayer Request
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