RISK, SURPRISE, & TRANSFORMATION

I enjoy reading the history of people whom God has used God to bring forward His redemptive plan. It should go without saying that such lives have more than their share of challenge specifically because they are committed to God’s plan.

One of those people is the Old Testament prophet Samuel. He lived in a very important stage of Israel’s history & of the outworking of God’s redemptive plan for the nation. I Samuel 16 shows at least 3 things that will happen in the life of a person whose allegiance is to God & His Kingdom, & who is committed to be an instrument in its advancement.

The first is RISK (verses 1-5). In Samuel’s case, he believed that if Saul found out that his mission was to anoint a king to replace him, he would likely be killed. I don’t believe he was just imagining this. Just as in Samuel’s situation, any transition that must take place for God’s will to be fulfilled involves risk. Even if our lives are not at risk, it is certain that other things that we value will be – reputation, economic security, relationships, comforts, etc.

The second is SURPRISE (verses 6-12). Many times I have sensed God speaking to me about something; I have also learned that only over the passing of time can I understand all that He was saying to me. My human tendency is to infer or assume a lot of things that God may not have intended. Samuel did the same thing here. Yes, God wanted him to anoint the new king; but no, it wasn’t any of the ones he would have chosen. We must be ready to grow in our understanding of what God is saying. This will involve being surprised once in a while.

The final one is TRANSFORMATION (verse 13). Another exciting & difficult part of being used by God is that we & others are transformed thru the process. It’s interesting that the emphasis in verse 13 is on David’s being transformed. We grow as we serve, but those we serve & lead into a greater experience with God are transformed also. In fact, as we are used by God, the results that give us the most joy are what the Holy Spirit does in others’ lives.

Are you committed to God’s plan for your life? Be ready for risk, surprise, & transformation. It won't always be your idea of fun, but it will be a greater adventure than you could have ever imagined!