CONSIDER ~ Amy Sapp
1 Samuel 12:24b
“…for consider how great things he hath done for you.”
I want to begin today with just one word.
CONSIDER.
Not rush past.
Not glance over.
Not scroll by while drinking coffee with one eye open...
But consider.
Samuel was speaking to the children of Israel people who had seen God work.
They had watched Him provide, protect, rescue, forgive, and guide them.
And yet Samuel pauses everything and says,
“Stop. Think. Remember. CONSIDER.”
Isn’t it amazing how quickly we forget the goodness of God when life gets loud?
We remember:
The stress
The bills
The diagnosis
The prodigal
The unanswered prayer
But Samuel doesn’t say, “Consider what you’re facing.”
He says:
“Consider how great things He hath done for you.”
Not small things.
Not occasional things.
Great things.
So today, we’re going to slow our hearts down and do exactly what Samuel asked.
We’re going to consider:
The goodness of God
Our service for Him
~ CONSIDER THE GOODNESS OF GOD
1. God Has Been Faithful — Even When We Haven’t
Let’s just be honest for a moment...
God has never dropped the ball.
But I sure have.
Israel had a pattern of forgetting God, yet God never forgot them.
We forget to pray.
We forget to trust.
We forget to wait.
We forget what He’s already done.
But God?
He remains faithful.
Lamentations 3:22–23 says:
“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed… great is thy faithfulness.”
If God kept score the way we do, we’d all be in trouble.
But instead, He keeps extending grace.
Take just a moment and think:
Where should I have been… but God stepped in?
What could have gone another direction… but God protected me?
Who would I be today without the Lord?
That’s worth considering.
2. God Has Been Good in the Ordinary
We love the big miracles and praise God for them!
But so often, His goodness shows up quietly.
Strength to get out of bed
Peace that doesn’t make sense
A safe drive
A text at just the right moment
Some of the greatest acts of God’s goodness will never be shared behind a microphone but they should never be forgotten.
If God never did another big thing for us…
He has already done enough.
He saved us.
He forgave us.
He prepared a home in Heaven for us.
That alone deserves a lifetime of gratitude.
3. God Has Been Personal
Let me share something personal with you.
I got saved when I was 17 years old.
I didn’t grow up with a deep understanding of Scripture.. but when Jesus saved me, He saved ALL of me.
I jumped into church.
I loved God’s people.
I loved the hymns... even when I didn’t know all the words yet, my heart sure did.
But over the years, I’ve learned something.
There have been seasons where my faith felt strong and steady…
And seasons where it felt like I was just trying to hold on.
Moments of confidence.
Moments of questioning.
Moments where I wondered if God was working when I couldn’t see it.
And yet.. when I stop and consider.. I can trace His hand all over my life.
He was there when I didn’t know what decision to make.
He was there when I felt overwhelmed as a wife, a mom, and in ministry.
He was there when I was tired, discouraged, and just plain worn out.
Looking back, I see it clearly now:
God was working in ways I didn’t recognize in the moment.
Hindsight reveals God’s faithfulness.
Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is stop saying,
“God, what are You doing?”
and start saying,
“God, thank You for what You’ve already done.”
That’s what Samuel meant.
CONSIDER.
Let’s do something together for just a moment.
I want you to close your eyes for just a moment.
Think back to one moment in your life when:
God showed up
God protected you
God answered a prayer
Or God carried you when you couldn’t carry yourself
Just one moment.
Now ask yourself:
Where would I be today if God hadn’t stepped in right there?
Now open your eyes.
Every woman thought of something different…
But every woman thought of God’s faithfulness.
Here’s the question:
If God was faithful then…
Why do we struggle to trust Him now?
Samuel knew something powerful....
When we remember God’s goodness, it fuels our obedience.
When we consider His faithfulness, it reignites our service.
~ CONSIDER OUR SERVICE FOR HIM
1. Service Is a Response, Not a Requirement
We don’t serve God to earn His goodness.
We serve Him because of His goodness.
Service is gratitude in action.
Psalm 116:12 says:
“What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?”
That’s the heart of service.
2. God Isn’t Asking for Perfection — Just Faithfulness
God is not waiting for:
Your talent
Your confidence
Your perfect schedule
He wants your heart.
Some of us think:
“I’m not good enough.”
“I don’t have time.”
“Someone else can do it better.”
Life does not slow down.
If we wait for perfect seasons, we’ll never serve.
God uses:
Willing women
Available women
Faithful women
Not perfect ones.
3. Small Acts Matter to God
You may never teach a class.
You may never speak from a platform.
But you can:
Pray
Encourage
Serve quietly
Love consistently
Heaven keeps better records than we do.
Galatians 6:9 reminds us not to be weary in well doing.
Nothing done for God is ever wasted.
Samuel’s words still speak:
“Consider how great things He hath done for you.”
* Consider His Goodness
Maybe you’re tired, worn out, or discouraged.
You love the Lord.. but life has been heavy.
Thank Him…
Remember His faithfulness…
Lay a burden down…
* Consider Your Service
Maybe God gently has stirred your heart about serving Him again.
Not out of guilt... but out of love.
If you want to say, “Lord, here I am again use me”…
He hears and sees YOU!
* Consider Your Heart
Maybe you realize you’ve been distant.
Not rebellious... just distracted.
Draw close to Him again!
Help us to consider, truly consider, the great things He has done for us.
Renew our gratitude.
Revive our service.
Draw our hearts close to Him again.