If you would prefer to download this teaching in AUDIO form and listen at your convenience, please right-click (mobile users, press-and-hold) the following link and select “Save-As” to download.
You can also download the PDF file here:
https://torahfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/May-5-PDF.pdf
1 Samuel 16:7 – Judging a Book (May 5)
Hello and thanks for joining in on to today’s daily devotion. Today is Thursday. May 5th. The 5th day of the Hebraic week.
Our verse today is 1 Samuel 16:7.
But YHWH said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. YHWH does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but YHWH looks at the heart.”
This is when the sons of Jessie appeared before Samuel. It’s specifically when Samuel saw Eliab. He thought that Eliab was sure to be YHWH’s anointed because of how he looked. Maybe even because of how he presented himself. But it was clear that YHWH did not choose him.
Looks can be deceiving and we all know this. Yet, how often do we still find ourselves looking at the outward appearances of men or even ministries? We see this practice in our lives everyday. When we’re choosing between two items, what do we find ourselves doing? More often than not, we find ourselves choosing the one that “looks” better. The one that is more appealing to the eye.
In the case with Samuel, it was pretty clear that YHWH was telling him “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” Let’s use wisdom and look beyond the veneer to the heart of people.
Let this be a focus in your time of meditation throughout the day. Until tomorrow, shalom!
