In today's first reading, 1 Samuel 16: 1-13, God sends Samuel to Jesse of Bethlehem, as He has chosen the successor of Saul from one of Jesse' sons. Samuel's initial reply is: "Lord, if I go in search of Saul's replacement and he hears of it, I am a dead man!" Samuel could have fearfully ignored God's request and spent his lifetime running away from God. Some of us do that when we encounter difficulties: simply walk away from the situation that holds a challenge to our faith. We do not take God's request seriously, no matter what it is! But not Samuel. He asks the Lord "How can I go?" In other words, he asks: "How can I handle this according to your holy will?" In the New Testament, when God asks Mary to be the Mother of God, becoming pregnant at age 13 or 14 during her betrothal to Joseph (before marriage) and not knowing man (also risking death) she, too, asks God "How?" She does not walk out of the difficult situation. She converses with the person who can help her!
When you and I face difficult situations, which of the following options do we choose: 1) going to the Lord and asking God how we are to accomplish what He is asking of us, 2) ignore God's requests by walking away from God or 3) plunge into doing what God asks without seeking Divine help?
Lord, may we, like Samuel and Mary, have the wisdom to 1) share our fears with you, 2) ask the "how" questions and 3) set out to do what you are asking of us, knowing that You go before us and will give us the courage, the strength and the wisdom we need to accomplish Your holy will in the NOW moment!
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