Daily Readings - Tue Jan 18 2022
1 Samuel
1And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.2And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.3And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.4And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?5And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.6And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.7But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.10Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.11And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.12And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
Mark
23And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.24And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?25And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?26How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?27And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:28Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments that invite us to reflect on God’s ways and our relationship with Him. The first reading from 1 Samuel tells the story of Samuel being sent to anoint a new king for Israel after Saul’s rejection. Samuel is instructed to go to Jesse’s household, where he encounters several sons, each appearing more regal than the last. Yet, God repeatedly tells Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature… the Lord looks at the heart.” It is only when the youngest son, David, is brought before Samuel that God reveals His choice. This passage reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, and His judgment is far deeper than our own.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a scene where Jesus and His disciples are criticized by the Pharisees for picking grain on the Sabbath. Jesus responds by recalling how David, when he was in need, ate the bread of the Presence, which was reserved for priests. He then declares, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” This teaching challenges us to understand the spirit of the law rather than just its letter. Just as God chose the unexpected David to be king, Jesus here emphasizes that true authority comes from God, and His ways often disrupt our expectations.
These readings call us to trust in God’s plan, even when it seems counterintuitive. Like Samuel, we are often tempted to judge by appearances or rely on our own understanding. But God sees what we cannot—the heart. Similarly, like the Pharisees, we may get caught up in rules and traditions, forgetting their purpose. Jesus reminds us that faith is not about rigid observance but about relationship and compassion. Let us ask ourselves: Where am I tempted to rely on my own judgment rather than trusting God’s plan? How can I live in a way that reflects His love and mercy, even when it challenges the status quo?