The Three Sides of Me

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 15 & 16; Matthew 1:18-25

Scripture:
"And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward." 1 Samuel 16:13

Observation:
These passages of scripture parallel the lives of three men; Samuel, Saul and David. All three had calls on their lives by God. All three of them present opportunities from which lessons can be drawn. This morning, I see a lesson from each.

Application:
There is a sense inside of me that if I follow after God all will be well with me. That is a myth. Actually it is a lie. That is the lesson I clearly see from Samuel in this mornings readings. He did everything as he was told from God and yet he struggled. We see him at the top of his game anointing the future King of Israel and then see him hiding while losing his battle with depression. No man of earth is exempt from the ebbs and flows of life.

God's call on my life does not immediately remove my defects. That is the lesson I see in the life of Saul this morning. Saul was self-willed, self-centered, and self-conscious. Everything was about him. His failure to address those things ultimately led to his downfall. As a leader and a follower of Christ I must stay aware of my dark side. My weaknesses will take me down if I am not constantly in touch with where I am headed. Allowing God to heal me is a daily choice I must make.

God will come get me when the time is right. That is the lesson I see from David this morning. There was a season of labor for David during which he as not anointed. He was just obedient. He did his thing to the best of his ability day after day. When his season came, God came to him. The struggle between God's sovereignty and my effort is a constant battle. I must learn to be patient and wait on the LORD.

Prayer:
At this moment, I feel like all three of these men. I, like Saul, am struggling with putting a harness around my self-will and healing my self-image. I, like Samuel, am sitting in a lonely place trying to discern why some things turned out as they did. I, like David, feel like I am giving things my all but am still waiting on Your anointing for the next chapter of my life.

These three men represent the three sides of me: the part that is twisted and broken, the part that is submitted to Your will but struggling with what You have allowed to happen, and the part that is waiting for You to do more. In their own way each of these sides fight against me having peace or finding rest.

I pray today that You teach me to battle well with these three things. Be my courage, my strength and my wisdom. You alone possess the power to overcome the nagging weight of my emotions. I believe that what I need today more than anything is Your anointed hand moving me forward in pursuit of Your appointed time.