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The Upper Room Chaplains’ Ministry: A Beacon of Hope
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Each year, The Upper Room conducts a Read More
Larry J. Peacock | Read 1 Samuel 16:6-7
Disciplines is available in a variety of formats: print, digital, and print/digital combo packages. A digital subscription includes access to author bios, the ability to comment, and audio lectio.
Sign Up TodayYou can’t judge a book by its cover.” This wise and familiar
expression is true not only of books but also of people,
according to the words God whispers to the prophet Samuel.
Good looks, expensive haircuts, tanned and tall are not the
hallmarks of God’s leaders. God looks at...
God of surprises and wisdom, teach me a holy way of seeing. Help me notice your goodness and blessing in everyone. Open my eyes to see creativity waiting to flourish, leadership waiting to be developed, and self-assurance ready to blossom. Amen.
First Samuel 16 reminds us of the bold risk that Yahweh took in the anointing of this young and unheralded shepherd. If 1 Samuel 16 causes us to wonder about the adequacy of all human shepherds, Psalm 23 reassures us that one Shepherd never fails. The New Testament passages consider the tension between light and darkness as a metaphor for the conflict between good and evil. In Ephesians 5, the struggle has already been resolved but takes seriously the continuing problem of sin. By means of the love and presence of Jesus Christ, even the power of evil cannot withstand the light. Then John 9 emphasizes the power of Christ as a bringer of light in the story of the man born blind.
• Read 1 Samuel 16:1-13. How often do you allow external appearances to affect your decisions? In what ways are you learning to look on the heart?
• Read Psalm 23. When do you take time for yourself by slowing your pace, breathing deeply, and allowing God to restore your soul? How might this become a daily habit?
• Read Ephesians 5:8-14. How do you discover what pleases God? How does your living reflect your discovery?
• Read John 9:1-41. When have you experienced a “healing” that brought you back into community—either at home, work, or faith setting?
Respond by posting a prayer.
I have been in the military for over 18 years, working in Religious Affairs. The Upper Room has always been a crucial resource for our military members. It serves as a beacon of hope, a way to connect daily to God and a reminder of how we should act as Christians.”
The Upper Room Chaplains’ Ministry provides military, VA hospital, and prison chaplains copies of the daily devotional for their ministry. Give today to support the Chaplains’ Ministry.
