Shepherd To King-Day 3

31 Aug Shepherd To King-Day 3

Scripture: 1 Samuel‬ ‭16:21-22‬ -NLT-‬‬ “So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer. Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, ‘Please let David remain in my service, for I am very pleased with him.‘”

• Please click here to read ‭the full chapter to gain greater insight and understanding:  

1 Samuel 16

Observation: In this passage, we find David shortly after he has been anointed king. However, instead of being immediately placed in a position of power, David begins working for Saul as his armor bearer. David has many gifts and is willing to use them for God’s glory in the way God has called him to, even if it’s not exactly what David had envisioned. Saul was so impressed with David that he asked Jesse to let David stay and continue to serve. We can use our gifts to have a similar impact on the lives of others. 

Application: If you’ve met me, I’ve probably mentioned that I’m a graduate of Michigan State University, and I’m incredibly proud of my alma mater. But believe it or not, one of my first and fondest memories of MSU isn’t going to football games all decked out in green and white or late nights in the library. Instead, I vividly remember showing up to freshman orientation and being handed a pair of gardening gloves and a shovel. As it turned out, our professors thought the best way for us to get to know our new community and each other was by getting our hands dirty and planting some flowers at the local senior center. 

I’ll admit that I wasn’t immediately thrilled about performing manual labor outside in the heat of summer. But, it turned out to be a great bonding experience with my classmates, and I’ll never forget the look on the senior center residents’ faces when they saw the flowers. Knowing I had brightened someone else’s day brightened my day — even if it didn’t look the way I’d imagined. 

God calls all of us to serve in the same way that I was called to serve that day. Each of us has been blessed with a special gift, and God sees it in us even if we can’t see it in ourselves. Because he sees such limitless potential in each of us, sometimes he tells us to do things that we could never imagine or push ourselves far past what we’ve told ourselves is possible. And this may be uncomfortable or even scary. But just think back to the story of David’s calling to serve Saul. In that moment, he didn’t know what God was trying to do. Nevertheless, he trusted and obeyed, receiving blessings beyond his wildest dreams. 

If you’re not serving on the J-Team yet, I encourage you to do so! There’s something for everyone, and we’ll help you find the perfect fit. You’ll get to unlock God’s potential in you and help make our church a better place — it’s a win-win! If you are already a part of our J-Team, think about all the ways that serving has enriched your life. Something that seems like such a simple act often prepares us for bigger and better things. 

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the opportunity to serve. May your Holy Spirit guide me to serve in the way that you have called me, to the best of my ability. Thank you for the gifts that you see in me, even when I do not see them in myself. I pray that as I serve, you open doors and lead me to new opportunities. Thank you for preparing me for the good things to come. Amen. 

Next Steps :

• Come back tomorrow for Day 4
• Spend some time in prayer, reflecting on the gifts that God has given you and how you can use those gifts to serve others. 
• Find your perfect fit on the J-Team by going to Plugged In! 

Lauren Brown/Promo Team Leader 

Lauren has gathered at The Journey since 2021, when she moved to Delaware from Pittsburgh, PA. She hit the ground running and got involved immediately by joining a J-Group and finding her home on the Communications Team. She loves to serve on the Promo Script Writing Team and help tell our church’s story through writing. Lauren enjoys traveling, spending time with her cat Crosby, and watching sports in her free time!