Read 1 Samuel 15:22-16:5
Because of Saul’s continual willfulness and rebellion, God had declared an end to his kingdom. Saul knew it. He also knew his son would not secede him. He was using all the power and resources at his disposal to make sure no one else did either. Here God was sending Samuel to anoint Saul’s successor. Although Samuel was a renowned man of God, a prophet and a priest, he was afraid.
Samuel’s fear - “He will kill me!” - was a very valid one. The road that went from Ramah to Bethlehem passed right through Gibeah. Gibeah was where Saul lived and ruled – his place of power. God’s instructions to go to Bethlehem meant walking right through his greatest fear! God’s will and leading often require the same faith journey of us – taking us on a direct route through our worst fear facing, faith challenging “Gibeah.”
There are several reasons why God’s will almost always involves our traveling through our Gibeah:
1. What He needs us to do is on the other side.
2. The process of getting there prepares us to be what He needs us to be in order to do what He wants us to do. We need to remember that His will for our lives will not lead us where His power cannot get us and His grace cannot keep us!
3. We are to walk by faith, not by sight. Fear can cast a false illusion of “reality.” God alone knows what was, is and will be. By faith we walk into what is history to God. Every step of partnering with God is a step of faith. This is never more evident then when He asks us to walk through the unwanted and the unexpected. We need to trust that He is as involved in the journey as He will be in the assigned destination. Trust is and always will be a choice. Read Psalm 56:3,4
4. Not only do we need to be “strong in the Lord and the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10), but even more to be “weak in Him,” so that “the power of God flows toward [others]” (1 Corinthians 13:4). We also need to “learn to be well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
We need to learn to trust God with our fears as well as in our fears. What you fear is what/who you allow to have authority over you and influence how you think, feel and act. The reaction of fear always requires a choice what you will do with that fear. You can give your Gibeah and the one who reigns there power over you and allow it to keep you from going, doing and being all God intends; or you can transfer that power back to the One who is truly in control and wants to involve you. Read Psalms 27:1
Making It Personal
Do you know where Gibeah is on your life map – where what you fear most lives and reigns?
For many Gibeah is inadequacy - a measurable lack of wisdom, resources, knowledge, ability, experience, education, strength and/or sometimes “want-to.”
What do the following verses tell you about being inadequate?
How do these truths help you travel through your Gibeah as you prepare to go where God has asked you to go or do?
Through the Day Challenge
Choose at least one of the verses you read today to memorize and meditate on.
