The Lord Looks At the Heart

“God does not see the same way people see.
People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  II Samuel 16:7

Seven sons pass.  Seven sons fail.  The procession comes to a halt.

Samuel counts the siblings: one-two-three-four-five-six-seven. “Jesse, don’t you have eight sons?”
A similar question caused Cinderella’s stepmother to squirm. Jesse likely did the same.
“I still have the youngest son. He is out taking care of the sheep.”  (v. 11)

The Hebrew name for “youngest son” is haqqaton. It implies more than age, it suggests rank.
The haqqaton was more that the youngest brother- the runt, the hobbit, the “bay-ay-ay-by.”

Sheep watching fits the family haqqaton. Put the boy where he can’t cause trouble.
Leave him with woolly heads and open skies.

What caused God to pick him?  We want to know.  We really want to know.

“The Lord does not see as a man sees: for the man looks at the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart” (v.7)

Those words were written for the haqqatons of society, for misfits and castouts.
God uses them all.

Moses ran from justice, but God used him.

Jonah ran from God, but God used him.

Rahab ran a brothel, Samson ran to the wrong woman, Jacob ran in circles, Ruth ran to a distant land, Elijah ran into the mountains, Sarah ran out of hope, Lot ran with the wrong crowd, but God used them all.

And David?  God saw a teenage boy, serving him in the backwoods of Bethlehem, at the intersection of boredom and anonymity, and through the voice of a brother, God called, “David! Come in. Someone wants to see you.”

God saw what no one else saw: a God-seeking heart.  Others measure your waist size or wallet.
Not God.  He examines hearts.  When he finds one set on him, he calls it and claims it.


  Thank you all, again, for you sweet comments, and prayers!  I am feeling a little better.  I will ask for your prayers this week as my in-laws are moving closer to us, to an assisted living care facility.  My sister in law is in town taking care of all the details, and the movers will be there to move them on Thursday.  My DH was there today helping to pack … I would have been, but they thought it best not to go around them right now … they were going to move this past weekend, but there was a flu epidemic there at the home, so they postponed it for later this week.  It will be a bit of an adjustment for them, but they are needing round the clock care, and living alone is not an option at this point in their lives.  Dad seems to be adjusting well enough … but Mom doesn’t want to leave her home, and it is a bit harder on her.  I can totally understand how she feels!  She is looking forward to all that her new home will offer her, though … they have many activities to choose from, and we’ll be just a short drive away.  Please keep them in your prayers for a smooth transition, for comfort and peace, and for good weather, as well.  We were supposed to get a winter storm here today, but nothing much came of it in our area.  That’s Indiana weather for ya!  Well, you all have a blessed day, as you set your heart on Him!

 Hugs,
        ~ Deborah <><


 Be sure to check out BetsaflyGallery for this week’s theme on ‘people doing something’! 
I have one of my favorite photos in there this week … I took it at a living history museum called Conner Prairie.