And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took a horn of oil and anointed hi in the midset of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Dvid from that day forward. (1 Samuel 16:12-13, ESV).
In the previous devotion, we reviewed how God called Samuel to anoint David as the future king of Israel. We found three key points Samuel did to follow God’s directive: get over the past with King Saul, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and go to the new king. Let’s look at how these three points can guide us as we look for the Davids and the future of Christian nursing.
In 1 Samuel chapter 16, we read how Samuel examined all of Jesse’s sons, yet the Lord did not direct Samuel to anoint them. The Lord was not looking for the smartest or the tallest son of Jessee. Instead, the Lord was looking at the “heart” of each son (16:7). David was summoned from the field, anointed by Samuel, and was immediately filled with the Spirit of the Lord. Once again, Samuel had to listen to the Holy Spirit and remove his preconceived ideas of a future king. Like Samuel, David allowed the Holy Spirit to direct his path, which is our first point: Listen to the Holy Spirit. Remember, David was a simple shepherd boy who turned king by listening to the Lord.
This leads to our next point which is Get over the future. Be willing for the Lord to change your life radically. David went from being a shepherd to “king in training.” I am sure David never imagined being king. He was son number eight! He was probably quite content getting married, having a family, and working for his older brothers. Thankfully for the Israelites and Christians, God had other ideas. David spent 15 years preparing to become king. He soothed Saul by playing his harp, killed Goliath, developed a close friendship with Jonathon, conquered many territories for King Saul, and penned many Psalms.
Today, when we look at getting over our future, it may mean ditching our nursing dreams. I will be brave and say that for many cultures, especially here in the West, planning out our life, career, and future is more than expected; it is demanded. Before high school, we are expected to create a career plan, strategize having 2.5 children, money for a house, etc. We don’t leave room for God to direct “his will be done” in how we use our talents in nursing for the Kingdom. I think that, as followers of Christ, it is a sin. There I was blunt. I call it a sin because anytime anything is of more importance than God’s will, then it is a sin—enough about that.
Be flexible with your nursing future and allow God to come in and make changes.
The final step for both Samuel and David is to Go. David had to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and go where the Lord sent. I can imagine when David was playing the harp for Saul, he wondered about the validity of Samuel’s anointing. Yet, David went and followed the Spirit wherever it led.
My nursing career differs from what I imagined thirty years ago as a new graduate strategizing to work in the ER or ICU. The Lord intervened when, 20+ years ago, I returned to school for a graduate degree with the original plan of being a clinical nurse specialist. Instead, the Lord called me into academics as a nurse educator.
When I came for my job interview, I walked around the campus weeping joyfully. Jesus had done two amazing things that day, and 20 + years later, he continues to do. He brought me back to the place I had met Him. For, I became a believer while taking my science courses. I knew He was calling me back to where we had met. Second, Jesus gave me the desire of my heart. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37 3). When many nurses reflect on their childhood career dreams, they say they wanted to be nurses. Not me. I wanted to be a teacher. 😊So, the Lord took the desires of my heart, weaved my talent for nursing, and created my career in academics. This passion and heart reaches out to you through my work with NCFI over the past 14 years. Sharing my love with Jesus and passion for nursing.
Whether you are a Samuel, with years in Christian nursing, or a David, who is just entering, follow their example:
- Listen to the Holy Spirt
- Let Go of the Past or the Future—whichever one is getting in your way.
- Go.
As a Samuel, go looking for the future of Christian nursing and find all those creative, talented Davids. If you are a David, let God be radically brave with your nursing career. He may have something amazing in store for you. So, that others can say the following about you:
A servant of Saul described David, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.” (16:18).
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NCFI Cares: Be A Samuel–For the Future of Nursing
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” (1 Samuel 16:1, ESV)
In 1 Samuel, chapter 16, Samuel responds to the Lord’s command, “I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem, for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons” (16:1). There, Samuel finds a young David, around the age of 15, and anoints him to be the future king of Israel. When I reflected on the account of Samuel anointing the teenager David as the future king of Israel, I found parallels that could be applied to the future of Christian Nursing. An insight was that those of us active in Christian nursing ministry could be like Samuel and be on the lookout for the future of Christian nursing, which I see as David’s. This first devotion will explore three key points to guide the Samuels. In the next devotion, we will explore how to be a David, the future of Christian nursing.
The first point is to be guided by the Holy Spirit. The Lord spoke to Samuel and specifically told him where to go and what to do. “Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” (1 Samuel 16:1, ESV). Like Samuel, we need to actively listen to the Lord. The Lord is at work in nursing, and we can hear and discover what He is doing and to whom He may lead us.
The Lord asked Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul…?” which brings up the next point: Get over the Past. From the Lord’s question, we can see that Samuel was having difficulty moving past King Saul, who was still king. Getting over the past is also an essential step for the future of Christian nursing. Older or more “seasoned” nurses are often stuck in their ways. This applies to nursing care, educational methodologies, and leadership skills.
Another way to get over the past was for Samuel to look to new ways the Lord would lead the Israelites. We can embrace the latest technology and tools the Lord uses or will use. How younger nurses connect or how future nurses will access scholarly publications and/or attend workshops are just a few questions to be open to new ways.
The final point is to Go. The Lord was evident to Samuel, residing in Ramah, to “go” to Bethlehem. Samuel had to leave his current place and role to venture into unknown territory and people to find the next king. For Christian nursing we may need to look for the future in new places or within different environments. This may be reaching out to new communities, clinics, or nursing schools.
As we look and pray for the future of Christian nursing, it takes an active purpose. Like Samuel, who the Lord sent, we need to be actively engaged in finding younger or less seasoned colleagues. Don’t wait for them to come to you! We need to look for Davids who are doing new and exciting things in ministry.
In the next devotion, we will explore how the Davids can be the future of nursing.
NCFI Cares: Live Out the Advent Season
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13, ESV)
Advent is a time of anticipation! One website describes the anticipation of advent as:
The weekly themes of Hope, Peace, Love, and Joy are meant to guide people through a time of spiritual preparation and reflection. As each week of Advent passes, people are encouraged to align their hearts with the message of Christ’s birth. Advent is a time to prepare for the anniversary of Christ’s birth on Christmas and his second coming.
This holiday season I encourage each of us to purposefully radiate each theme to all in need of the spirit of Advent. Take a moment, right now, and ask the Holy Spirit. Who do I know that needs Hope? Peace? Love? Joy? Let’s review each theme and discover the miraculous work of Christ.
Hope: As believers our hope is based on the truth of the Gospel through Jesus Christ.
For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:24-25).
Our hope is not based on something tangible like leaders, policies, health, and economics. Instead, our hope is based on the truth found in scripture. When the tide and concerns of this world threaten to lead us to hopelessness, we open the word of God and find the tangible, realistic hope solidly rooted in faith. And Jesus said to him, If you can! All things are possible for one who believes. (Mark 9:23). Faith is believing in the teachings of scripture. Through our act of belief, the Holy Spirit grows our hope into a miraculous experience where we can confidently say, For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39).
Peace: Maybe you know someone in need of the miraculous peace of Christ. First, Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and our peace is found in Him. Paul, who suffered extensively to spread the Gospel, blessed each believer in many of the Epistles: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” The Peace of Christ is a peace that surpasses understanding as described by Paul in the letter to the Philippines: ‘And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (4:7). Paul then gives us directions on how to obtain this miraculous peace: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (4:8-9).
Love: As believers, we are more familiar with the love of God and how it radiates to each one of us. We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). Jesus’ life exemplified how the love of God was to be dispensed to humanity, thus we can be the love of God to others by imitating Jesus. Once again Paul helps us out with his teachings found in 1 Corinthians 13: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (4-8).
Joy is the final theme for Advent and a great way to wrap up our Advent reflections of hope, peace, and love. We can have all three, yet if we lack joy, then we can’t shine. Joy is an outward expression of an inside state of mind. Jesus promised joy through himself and his teachings. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:11). through the indwelling, continuous Holy Spirit And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52).
Let’s spread Advent to our colleagues, patients, friends, and family. For through us, they experience the tangible presence of hope, peace, love, and joy found in Christ Jesus.
Final Prayer: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13)
NCFI Cares: You Did it to Me
I recently sang an amazing song at church. The song was so poignant as to the needs of our patients, our neighbors and our community. May this beautiful song remind each of us that Christ is the one who embodies the broken and hurting in our world today (Matthew 25:40).
There’s a hungry one, lives in the street. There’s a thirsty one, without a cup to drink;
There’s a little one, with no shoes on her feet. There’s a family, sleeping in the rain;
And the one abused, will bever be the same; The addicted one, with no one left to blame.
All of these people are my people.
All of these long to be free.
All of these are my beloved.
All of these are me.
Refrain:
So when you hold out your hand selflessly and give help to the stranger in need, then whatever to do to the least of these, you do to me.
In a prison, so far from home, I was lonely, so bitter and alone;
Evicted, illegal, incurable, different, despised. I was locked out, you took me in.
I was at the end; you helped me to begin. I’m a lot like you: sister, brother, friend.
So follow me, into the kingdom.
Follow me, you have been wise.
Follow me, you who have known me.
Right before your eyes.
Refrain (repeat)
The hungry, the lonely, the forgotten,
the neglected, the abandoned, the invisible,
the homeless, the battered, the frightened,
the hopeless, the dying.
All of these are me.
There’s a hungry one, lives in the street. There’s a
thirsty one, without a cup to drink;There’s a little one, with no shoes on her feet. There’s
a family, sleeping in the rain;And the one abused, will bever be the same; The addicted one, with no one left to blame. All of these people are my people.All of these long to be free.All of these are my beloved.All of these are me. Refrain:So when you hold out your hand selflessly and give help
to the stranger in need, then whatever to do to the least of these, you do to
me. In a prison, so far from home, I was lonely, so bitter
and alone; Evicted, illegal, incurable, different, despised. I was
locked out, you took me in. I was at the end; you helped me to begin. I’m a lot like
you: sister, brother, friend. So follow me, into the kingdom.Follow me, you have been wise.Follow me, you who have known me. Right before your eyes. Refrain (repeat)The hungry, the lonely, the forgotten, the neglected, the
abandoned, the invisible, the homeless the battered the frightened, the
hopeless, the dying. All of these are me.
NCFI Cares: Changing Shame Into Praise
Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. (Zephaniah 3:19, ESV)
Recently, I was listening to teaching on the prophet Zephaniah. The teacher shared insight on how the Lord would fulfill his promise to Zion. The phrase, “I will change their shame into praise…” reminded me of an incident when I worked as a hospice nurse.
As a per diem or on-call home health hospice nurse instead of managing a group of patients, I would respond to the concerns that came in during the night or check up on patients admitted the day before. This was the case for a middle-aged gentleman who had been admitted into hospice a few weeks back. His diagnosis was liver failure related to cirrhosis of the liver caused by alcoholism. His assigned case manager wanted me to visit him over the weekend and check on his medication regimen and symptoms.
I drove to his house, and he happily greeted me when he opened the door. He was friendly, and we sat on the couch so I could complete his assessment. I asked questions about his symptoms, reviewed his medication, and educated him on how to adjust them for better management. After about an hour’s visit and thinking we were done, I packed my bag and we walked to the door, saying our goodbyes. I asked him my typical last question, “Is there anything else you need?”
My patient boldly replied, “Yes, there is. Can you explain to me why my family is so nice to me?”
I have to admit I was shocked to hear his question. His family assessment revealed a very supportive wife as his primary caregiver. I said, “I don’t understand your question. Your family is nice to you because they love you.”
To which he replied, “But, they shouldn’t.” I knew we weren’t done, so we both sat down and he proceeded to tell me his story.
“Years ago when my children were young, I was a horrible alcoholic. I went out drinking all the time. I spent my paychecks on alcohol instead of providing for my wife and kids. At one point, when it was so bad, my wife kicked me out of the house. She went on to raise our three children on her own. We had been estranged for years before I got sick.”
At this point, my patient was getting emotional, yet he continued. “Recently when I was diagnosed with liver failure. My wife and children heard that I was ill. She reconnected with me. This was our house or her house. She had me move back in so she could take care of me. My adult children come and see me and assist my wife in caring for me.”
When he paused, and I knew he was done sharing, I said, “It sounds like, from everything you have said, your wife and family love you, and they have forgiven you.”
He immediately responded, “But why? Why would my wife forgive me when I was a horrible alcoholic?”
“Because she loves you. And your family loves you. I think the question is, have you forgiven yourself?” He stopped, and I could tell he was thinking about my question. About that time, his wife came home and she beamed with love for her husband. He shared with her our discussion and of course, she reiterated what we all knew, “I love you. Our kids love you and we forgive you!” I told him about our pastoral care services so he could talk more.
My patient felt shame about his previous life. He didn’t feel worthy to be loved, nor forgiven for his past sins and maltreatment of his wife and family. Yet, and I mean a big YET, God had already turned his shame into praise from his family. My patient just needed to forgive himself and accept the forgiveness God had already imparted.
As nurses, we care for patients who feel the shame of sin and suffer the consequences. Alcoholism, drug addiction, abuse, promiscuity, and others. We are privileged to bring God’s love and forgiveness to those suffering from shame, rejection, and despair.
NCFI Cares: Double Portion of the Spirit
Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken brom you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” (2 Kings 2:9, ESV)
At NCFI, we are looking for ways to encourage the next generation of nurses. Whether through mentoring, fellowship, or networking; the global nursing community is focused on bringing along those nurses entering the profession. As a Christian, there are many biblical examples of older or mature believers reaching out to younger or less experienced Christians. We think of Paul and Timothy (1 & 2 Timothy).
There are Moses and Joshua. I wrote a few devotions on this leadership relationship and the wonderful advice Moses gave his successor.
Another mentoring relationship we may not be as familiar with is Elijah and Elisha. Elijah chose Elisha as his servant (1 Kings 19:19). Elisha accompanied Elijah for six years until it was time for Elijah to go to heaven. Then the time came for Elisha to assume the role of prophet. Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit.
The Lord grants Elisha’s requests and we immediately read how Elisha performs greater miracles than Elijah (parting of the waters, doubling of oil, raising the dead, etc).
As we think of the next generations, Elijah’s example can provide us with great insight into how we can create a succession plan.
First, choose someone who will replace you. This may sound hard to believe, but none of us will be in ministry forever. Today is the day you begin praying for your replacement.
Second, have the person work alongside you in ministry. Not just any task, but the tasks that you are currently doing. If you organize meetings, have the person organize meetings. If you write reports, have the person write reports. You get the idea.
Third, finally, plan on giving them a double portion of what you need to perform your ministry duties. Like Elijah, we can’t dispense the Spirit to others, but we can pray for them. We can give them more than we have had for ministry, such as more training, hours, and resources. Thus ensuring they would become more successful than we were.
NCFI Cares: Are You an Eli?
And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the young man. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for your servant hears”.
(1 Samuel 3:8-10, ESV)
Samuel came into temple service as a young boy. His primary service was ministering to the Lord with his guardian, an elderly priest, Eli (1:11; 2:26). Samuel, possibly a teenager by this time, slept near the Ark of the Covenant, yet close enough to Eli, who suffered from impaired vision. One night, Samuel is awakened by a voice, “Samuel, Samuel.” Samuel assumes, typical for any other night, that Eli is calling him, so he checks with Eli. Not needing assistance nor having called Samuel, Eli sends the young man back to bed. This happened three times. Notice chapter 7, chapter 3, “Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD been revealed to him.” After the third visit from a confused Samuel, Eli directed Samuel to answer the Lord by saying, “Speak, LORD, for thy servant is listening.” When the Lord called Samuel this time, he was ready to listen.
As we reflect on this passage of scripture, we are reminded of Jesus’ teachings, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15). Young Samuel had not been taught to know the Lord nor to hear from the Lord.”
In addition, visions by the Lord and direct word from the Lord were rare (3:1-2). Nurses and midwives frequently encounter people who do not know the Lord. It may be because they are non-believers, or maybe they are Christians, yet they cannot hear the Lord due to their current experience. This may be due to illness, disease, or a lack of faith. Samuel not only did not know the Lord but he had not been taught the word.
For us, this is knowing scripture. Many times, we encounter people who know the Lord, but they do not know the Bible. Or let’s go further and say they are not familiar enough with the Bible for it to guide their relationship with Jesus. Let’s not miss this opportunity to point out a deficit in Samuel’s training. He worked in ministry; he had grown up in the temple and had a priest as a mentor/father figure. When encountering people who know the Lord, let’s not assume they are familiar with scripture.
I see two application points in this passage. First, we can ask ourselves whether we are so familiar with the word, attuned to the Holy Spirit, and quiet in prayer that we know when the Lord is speaking to us. Or does he speak to us multiple times, and his words land on untrained ears?
Now, my favorite part of the account of Samuel is the Lord. The Lord calls Samuel multiple times. Isn’t that like our God—he calls out to Samuel in an intimate, personal way by his name. And even though Samuel was unfamiliar with his voice, God kept calling, demonstrating his unwavering love and commitment. “Samuel, Samuel.” Eli, recognizing what is happening, gives the best advice a mentor could give–tell the Lord, “Speak, for thy servant is listening.”
Thus, the second application point is God is always calling to people. We can help our patients and colleagues by being an Eli and guiding those unfamiliar with hearing God’s voice.
Carrie Dameron 
