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Bible Reading Plan

Reading Plan: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”

Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”

Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”

So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

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Daily Devotional: Give Mercy Room to Move

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:14-15 

God’s forgiveness is central to Christianity. Eternity with Him is available on His terms (mercy) at His expense (grace) to anyone interested. The Bible is clear that we are saved by God’s unmerited favor alone, not by anything we do or don’t do, apart from trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. That’s a lot of theology to chew on. But the summary is simple: If I turn to God in humility, He will forgive me for eternity. And this truth is truly amazing—until you read a passage like Matthew 6:14-15.

How can God’s forgiveness of me be directly tied to whether I forgive people or not? That doesn’t align with salvation by grace! Well, that’s true. But Jesus isn’t talking about eternal destinies here. He’s calling out hypocrisy and the high price associated with holding onto a double standard. When we give mercy room to move in our relationships, we’re conduits of God’s love and forgiveness. When we don’t, we’re not. Those saved by grace should be at the front of the line handing out mercy. Sadly, as the Sermon on the Mount points out, that’s not always the case.

Today, you will be invited to give mercy room to move. By choosing to forgive someone who sins against you, you open the floodgates for God to have His way with them and you. Your heart, character, and presence in the world will be better for it. If you decide to withhold mercy toward others, you can expect the same in relationship with God and them. I doubt you want that. I know I don’t. But according to Jesus, it’s the way forgiveness works.

We can’t argue with the benefits of letting God’s forgiveness, love, and mercy move unhindered. But if we’re not careful, we can hinder them from flowing as Jesus says they can. We all are inclined at times to desire forgiveness for ourselves more than we’re willing to forgive. But by tapping into God’s grace, we can rise above our self-interest so all can be saved. Let’s practice giving mercy room to move freely so we can all experience God’s forgiveness more fully.

Next Steps

Where and with whom are you having a hard time forgiving? Are you more willing to open your hands and heart knowing that it’s unhealthy to hold onto a double standard? Invite God to give you humility and strength to show mercy, just as He freely extends forgiveness to you too.