A few Sundays ago I was given the scripture reading for the bulletin..and I was the one reading it. As I read my mind wanted to interject thoughts and comments. Thank you Lord that my mouth didn't comply as it isn't appropriate to interject my Blogging brain in the middle of scripture reading!
It was Samuel 16:1-13...so I thought what a perfect opportunity to share what was going on in my head...at our Coffee Time! The scripture is in italics and in black. My thoughts are in regular print and in blue.
Samuel Anoints David
16 The Lord said to Samuel,[the Lord said TO Samuel, how cool is that ...He speaks directly to him.] “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” [God gives clear direction to Samuel.]
2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” [Samuel questions God, don't we do that? Sometimes when we get clear direction do we question God, with excuses, that are layered with fear and uncertainty?]
The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” [God gives further direction and even more specific direction in response to Samuel's uncertainty. He also lets Samuel know He is going to continue to direct...He isn't going to leave him on his own.]
4 Samuel did what the Lord said.[Samuel obeyed, he did what the Lord said! Can that be said of us? "She/he hears the Lord and obeyed!"] When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” [Even Samuel looked at the outward appearance as criteria for a king...who of us doesn't make judgment calls by what we see first?]
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. [What was it about Eliab and subsequently his brothers that the Lord rejected? I want a list ..so I know what to avoid!] The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” [The Lord sees people through a different lens than we do, He can see the things that we overlook...the inner motives and feelings of the heart.]
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” [I have always marveled at this, that David wasn't even a consideration when Jesse was told to bring his sons. How many times do we over look what we think to be the inconsequential or do we feel inconsequential.....too old, too young, too small, too uneducated, too inexperienced, too______________, you fill in your blank, because I am sure we have all felt unworthy, unable, un up to the task that God has clearly directed us to do.]
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” [ I love this statement, the inconsequential "little brother" has now become important enough that they must remain standing until he has arrived! My first thought reading this....."they all better hope David doesn't dawdle!" Does he know that they are all standing waiting for his arrival? Is the field in which he has the sheep far? I feel Samuel saying this makes a statement to the brothers who have been passed over for "promotion", it speaks to what David is to become; a king who commands their respect.]
12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.[Glowing....you bet after running....running as fast as he has ever from the fields! It seems interesting to me that David's outward appreance is described in this passage, when it has already been established God does not look at those things. Maybe it was to show tthat David had the whole package...maybe he was "glowing" also with promise, with the anticipation of serving the one who called him, with the innocence of a young willing heart?]
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” [THIS is the Lord's choice, the whole thing unfolded so there was no doubt able to be cast upon who was chosen to be king. At the beginning Samuel is chastised a bit by God after he assumes it is the biggest, strongest looking brother...and the next and the next. Jesse assumes it must be one of the older, larger, more handsome sons, that would be the obvious choice. We KNOW David was God's choice because he was the least likely. SO that as the life of David unfolds and he makes decisions that are not in line with God, we still know that he was chosen by God to be King. That though he is sometimes unwise, he is still a man after God's own heart and God sees this]
13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah. [David was anointed in front of his brothers....and important statement, I believe this is included in the recounting because it shows David being set apart.
David was hugely affected by the anointing.....the Holy Spirit didn't just come....it came POWERFULLY.. And not just at that moment..."from that day forward"...and he wasn't even king yet! He was just anointed until he was to take the throne over from Saul...but that is a whole other story!
We know...if we read more about David... he makes a few choices that are not Godly...we may wonder about the Spirit of the Lord being so powerful "from that day forward"....David was human....so at times selfish ambition, lust, fear can over take and drive decisions...but I see, when I read, that Spirit of the Lord being POWERFUL in It's convicting David's soul of his guilt and shame that leads to his lament and repentance. David had a heart for the Lord and that is what God wanted.]
14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” 1 Samuel 13:14
So our lessons?
💗God sees our hearts, our motives and He is looking for hearts that love Him and desire to serve Him above all else.
💗He calls us to do the same....not judge a person by their outward appearance.
💗We need to step out and follow His direction, knowing if we have questions or concerns we can voice them and He will have a way which will make itself clear as we step out in faith.
💗We are given the power of the Holy Spirit..not because we have been anointed to be a king..but because as believers in Christ we are anointed by the shed blood of the King of Kings!
My prayer for you is that the Lord sees in you a heart that seeks after Him and you follow His direction with the power of the Holy Spirit!
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