ESOCS Devotional 25 March 2026 – Be Not Overcome With Grief
MEMORY VERSE: “The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you go on grieving over Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel. But now get some olive oil and go to Bethlehem, to a man named Jesse, because I have chosen one of his sons to be king.’” 1 Samuel 16:1:3 GNB.
TEXT: 1 SAMUEL 16:1-13
Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”
2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”
But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”
4 So Samuel did what the Lord said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”
5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
8 So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”
And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
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Grief is an experience. More elaborately, it is the experience of coping with loss or disappointment. Grief might occur in the painful period of death of a loved one. But it could also accompany any event that disrupts or challenges ones sense of normalcy (1 Samuel 16:1). In a broader sense, grief can refer to the inner spiritual pain brought about by the conviction of the Holy Spirit of sin in a man. In the positive aspect, this grief would lead to a change of heart and the experience of God’s grace by the individual so convicted (2 Corinthians 7:10). Moreover, the Bible frequently affirms the human emotion of sorrow at the loss of someone or something deeply cherished, or at the experience of some personal affliction.
In any case, the Bible views grief as a normal experience, but the Word of God also adds that the believer’s experience of grief is tempered by God’s affirmation of hope, (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Also, Psalms 126:1-6; Psalms 4-:1-3), point to those who grieved in pain, but eventually leapt for joy, through God’s gracious intervention. In our text, Samuel’s painful sorrow was King Saul’s loss of his royalty in Israel. Samuel was already aged and tired. How could he cope with political governance, and priestly responsibilities all alone. But God just showed up at his near breaking point. Hallelujah! The scripture also records the heart-rending grief of some others who exuded disobedience and unbelief among God’s people (Lamentations 1:12-17).
The Almighty God, who grieves whenever His children wallow in iniquity or sin against His Holy Law (Hosea 4:1-10) also, experiences grief. Turn your grief into grace. Trust and obey the Lord your God. He will certainly turn again your captivity to freedom.
Reflections
- The period of grief can be your turning point.
Prayer
- Lord, turn again our sorrow to joy.
Further Reading: Jeremiah 8:18-9:3; Luke 18:1-14; 2 Corinthians 10:1-18
ESOCS Devotional 25 March 2026
