Prayer: Father, just as You ordered David’s steps, order mine. It was You who chose David for his heart. You look upon the heart and not physical appearance like man does. Thank You for ordering my steps. Amen.
Reading: 1 Samuel 16 key: vs. 13-17 “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. From that day on Ruach Adonai came mightily upon David. Then Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. Now the Ruach Adonai had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Adonai terrified him. So Saul’s courtiers said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord now command your courtiers in your service to search for a man who is a skillful player on the harp. Then whenever the evil spirit from God comes on you, he will play with his instrument and you will feel better.” So Saul said to his courtiers, “Find me someone who can play well and bring him to me.” TLV
Attention: As I reflect over my life, I see the hand of God. It is what I call the providence of God which I define as the active involvement of a benevolent, caring supreme authority.
In 1961, I was eight years old. My Nebraska born parents married in 1952 and moved from the farm to Wichita, Kansas. Life was good as my parents secured employment and started a family. But, around 1960 the economy collapsed in Wichita and my father lost employment and everything they had worked for to that point. He heard from a friend about employment in Renton, Washington.
I contend my family’s subsequent moving to Renton, was a providential move of God. The move was not without its challenges. My parents had to work themselves out of a financial hole. God provided the resources to meet all the needs of each family member. From what appeared to be disaster, God brought abundance and plenty.
It was the providence of God which brought a young David from the shepherd fields to the courts of Saul. It was a divinely sent evil spirit which required an anointed David to minister to an ailing Saul. It was providence by which the courtiers of Saul knew about David’s musical abilities.
It was providence by which David (already anointed) became Saul’s armor bearer. It was the providence of God by which David had three older brothers serving in Saul’s army, who required David’s delivery of food to the front lines of battle. It was providence that prepared David to meet Goliath. He did not fear Goliath as he had taken down a bear and a lion. Goliath did not seem as fierce as a bear or a lion.
I believe in the providence of God as He commandeers our lives. Providence is what the psalmist is asking when he asks the Lord to establish his steps. Psalm 37:23 says, “From Adonai a man’s steps are made firm, when He delights in his way.” Solomon says, “The heart of man plans his course, but Adonai directs his steps’ (Proverbs 16:9).
I encourage you to take time today and acknowledge God’s providence in your life, past, present, and future.
Action: I choose today to acknowledge and seek the providence of God in my life.
Yield: I choose today to submit to the providence of God.
Engage: I choose today to engage in the Holy Spirit task of ordering my steps.
Relationship: I choose today to bask in the awareness that God is providentially caring for me.
Prayer: Father, You have a plan for my life which is much better than my plans. Help me to be content in Your plan as You order my steps. Amen.
Memory Verse: Proverbs 16:9 “The heart of man plans his course, but Adonai directs his steps.”
Music Video: Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir—Order My Steps https://youtu.be/Y9h0bcaLElk
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”