2026-03-12 Fourth Sunday in Lent
2026-03-12 Fourth Sunday in Lent 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a Right from the start, Samuel warned the people about the dark side of choosing to have a king rule over them (1 Samuel 8), giving numerous examples of what kings could do when they get their hands on power. The eventual failure of Saul as king, where he disobeyed Yahweh as also the cost of war upon war, and the stark divisions rampant in the young nation - was very painful to Samuel. And he was repenting for having brought these miseries on the people - but now God asks him to go out once more to anoint the new king. Initially Samuel is looking for someone like Saul - tall, strong and handsome but God tells him, "Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.”. God directs him to anoint the youngest son of Jesse, the shepherd boy David. Psalm 23 This evergreen popu...