2ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Not as man sees does God see. 

After years of pleading, Israel had a king (1 Samuel 8:18). Saul appeared to be everything they had hoped for! He was handsome, intelligent, and powerful. He rallied the nation and helped Israel grow in political and military strength. From all indicators, Saul was a great king. But that’s not how God saw things. Saul failed to acknowledge or thank the Lord for all he helped him to do. Over and over, he disobeyed God, the source of his success (28:17-18).

By contrast, David became a king “after [God’s] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). When Samuel first anointed him, David was a shepherd, forgotten and overlooked by his family. But God didn’t overlook David because “not as man sees does God see” (16:7). God saw, hidden in David, the internal qualities of a great king.

Would David be a perfect king? Certainly not. But David reminds us that God delights in a humble heart. Like Saul, David was handsome and, as king, also became strong and successful. But that’s not why God had chosen him. God anointed David because his heart was ablaze with love for him and because he recognized his dependence on God, even when he strayed and sinned against him (Psalm 51).

The story of David’s anointing tells us about God’s love for those who are forgotten or left behind. You may feel forgotten or belittled by other people, even those who should love you. Rest assured that the Lord’s gaze is fixed on you. You are his beloved child; he sees you, especially when nobody else does.

David can also bring you hope in your battle against sin. You may be struggling with a persistent weakness or bad habit, and you just can’t seem to overcome it. Your repeated attempts to break the cycle can make you feel that God is disappointed with you. But the Lord still sees you, even when you fail, and he still loves you. His approval does not depend on your perfect triumph in this life. His love is constant, and it remains fixed on every heart that comes to him in humility.

Our vision is so limited. But God sees everything and loves us always. Let’s thank and praise him today!

“Thank you, Lord, for seeing me even when I can’t see myself.”

1 Samuel 16:1-13
Psalm 89:20-22, 27-28
Mark 2:23-28