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David, the early years - Part 1

The Lord looks at the Heart

29th October 2011

1 Samuel 13v1-5
The LORD said to Samuel, "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."
But Samuel said, "How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me." The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate."
Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, "Do you come in peace?"
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.

The man of God had come to Bethlehem. God had told that great old prophet and judge, Samuel, to anoint David as successor to Saul, whom God had rejected as King over Israel. But the people of Bethlehem didn't know that. When the judge arrived, they thought he might have found fault with them and come to punish them. But Samuel replied that he was there for a peaceful purpose, and would make a sacrifice to the Lord with them.

In particular, he personally consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. They must have wondered why they were so honoured.

1 Samuel 13v6-7
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD." But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

When he met Jesse's oldest son, Eliab, Samuel thought he looked eminently suitable. He was tall and good-looking, just as Saul had been (and how did that work out?) but God explained to Samuel that The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

Today, just as then, appearances can be more influential than character. More and more money is spent on cosmetics, clothes, breast implants, hair transplants and even botox injections. It seems that when choosing a new leader for a political party, the first requirement is for a candidate to look good on television. That's one reason why younger people are being chosen as leaders, so we get less and less experienced leaders. Increasingly, young people feel worthless and excluded if they don't look exactly "right" in their friends' eyes.

To God, all this is unimportant, compared to the content of a person's heart.

God is the one person who knows exactly how you feel, and exactly why you feel like you do. He knows how lonely, afraid, vulnerable, proud, vain, insecure, valuable or worthless you feel. he knows the emotions you experience and the pressures on you. He knows what you want, and what you regret, and what you care about. He listens to you. And He loves you. No-one knows you and loves you completely, but God does. He looks at your heart. He know what is noble in your heart, and what is ignoble, what is generous, and what is mean, what is patient and what is selfish. And He loves you.

1 Samuel 13v8-11a
Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either."
Jesse then made Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Nor has the LORD chosen this one."
Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The LORD has not chosen these." So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?"
"There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep."

As the seven sons of Jesse who had his approval passed, one at a time, before the prophet, God told Samuel that they were not chosen to be king. Samuel must have begun to get worried. As the seventh, seemingly the last, passed by, Samuel drew the logical conclusion; either he hadn't heard God right, or Jesse must have an eighth son.

It's not difficult to see what Jesse thought of David. Samuel had invited Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice, but Jesse didn't worry that David wasn't there. David was fit to look after the sheep, but not to meet with the man of God, or attend the sacrifice. It's hard when your father (or mother) thinks less of you than he (or she) does of your brothers (or sisters).

But God sees your heart, even if the rest of your family, or your church, or your friends, don't.

1 Samuel 13v11b-13
Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives."
So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one." 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 upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

David was rejected even as a candidate by his family. But he was chosen by God. He may not have been as tall, or as good-looking, or as skillful in battle, or as experienced, as his brothers, but he loved God. He was chosen for the content of his heart.

That's what's important.

Never let anyone write you off. Instead, get your heart right before God. You'll see what God can do with one person who truly loves Him.