1 Samuel 16:1-13
1 The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons." 2 Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And 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 you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you." 4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" 5 He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is now before the Lord." 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one." 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one." 10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen any of these." 11 Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here." 12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
Reflection - Signed... Sealed... Delivered
We are all chosen by God in one way or another. But, as in this passage, when God chooses, God looks, not on what we see on the outside, but God looks at what is in the heart. God looks into the center of our being and knows what we are and how we are made and what we can do. God sees right inside, because God knows us deeply.
Sometimes, in my sin, I find this characteristic of God disturbing. I would rather God not know some of the things that I think. I would rather God not know some of the things that I have done. But, I can't do anything about that. God is God and I am me.
I guess I could and do live with guilt. I guess I could dwell on that guilt of sin. But God has a way. When I realize that God knows me, I come to God with those sins. I come to God and confess my sin. I come to God and look for direction. I come to God and God forgives me and sets me down a different path. That doesn't mean that everything is just dandy. It may mean that I have a tough road to go down because of the sin that I have committed. Yes, even David went to God with his sin and traveled some really rough roads because of his sin. But, God still stuck with David. God chose David and loved David too much.
Sometimes what we see gets in the way of what God wants. We don't see something in another person and discount that person. What a sin! What a shame it is when we do this and pass by that person and choose another person that seems to have the traits we are looking for. This may be with a mate or with a politician or with a worker, or with one chosen for a job. We tend to see what is on the outside but don't see in the heart. But, God doesn't choose based on the outward appearance because God knows the heart. So, there are cases when a choice is made or even ordained by God that surprises us. God is full of surprises and surprising people.
When a person, even you or me, is chosen by God and anointed with that cross, we are led by the Spirit in the gifts that God has given each of us. And when the fruit of those gifts comes to all fullness, God puts us into action. Yes, we are called, we are chosen. And that's all of us, not just a few. You are called by God. Get ready for it. Yes, you are called. You will be blindsided but you really shouldn't be. God chooses you and you may as well know that God will use you... somehow... someway.
With a little humor, I present the following song from You Tube for your enjoyment. However, to make this a little better, don't think so much of yourself that you think that you can come into the presence of God with yourself... it seems more correct to me that God shows up to us and yes... God takes the action and Signs and Seals and Delivers us and makes us his own. In a way, we learn that God is ours too, when we are "Signed, Sealed and Delivered."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBDqgSOwxkc
Prayer
Lord, I know when I rise each day, in some way you will put me into action. Open my ears and my eyes and look into my heart that I may act and do what you would have me do. Direct my choices this day so that I look beyond the obvious of the situation and look into the heart of the matter. Bless my actions and forgive my inaction, that all I may do is pleasing to you... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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