1 Samuel 16.1-13
Saul is upset that God rejects his son, Johnathan, as the next king of Israel. Instead, God sends Samuel to meet Jesse, from whose lineage the next king will come. Jesse presents his sons, but God tells Samuel the next king is not among them. When Samuel presses Jesse, Jesse notes that his youngest son is out caring for the sheep. Jesse has him brought to Samuel, and God tells Samuel that David is to be king.
Psalm 23
The author offers a prayer to God as their sustainer, comforter, guide and protector. They express certainty that as long as they remain in God's presence, they will continue to be blessed. They refer to God anointing their head with oil, which indicates that this is David speaking.
Ephesians 5.8-14
Paul calls on his audience to remain in the light of Christ, rather than dwelling in secrecy and darkness. In fact, he urges them to bring to light the misdeeds of their colleagues done in secret. The passage closes with a reference to Isaiah, in which the prophet cries out for all sleepers to awaken to the light of God.
John 9.1-41
Jesus's disciples wonder what a blind man they encounter did to deserve this punishment from God. Jesus
says that he did nothing but rather that it is an opportunity to reveal God's power. Jesus makes mud from earth and spit and puts it on the man's eyes, then tells him to wash them in order to see. When others ask how he can now see, he tells them about Jesus. But the religious leaders condemn this act since Jesus performed
the miracle on the Sabbath. While they claim Jesus is charlatan, the healed man holds fast to his belief in Jesus being of God, so they kick him out of the temple. Still the man proclaims Jesus is of God.
It's interesting that, in these strange times of lockdown due to the COVID19 virus, how some people only think of themselves. Saul believed that the crown should pass to his son; the religious leaders only cared for their interpretation of God's law (whether they kept it themselves is another question). God looks beyond all that. He looks for a man after his own heart like David. He seeks compassion before the Law as Jesus demonstrated. Paul rounds it off nicely by urging justice and bringing to light the things other people try to hide in the darkness.
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