Week 20 Day 3 Music to the Soul...

I Samuel 16

So Samuel is distressed.

He has helped choose the king Saul who God is increasingly unhappy with.

Finally, God says, "Enough is enough."

He tells Samuel it is time to look for a new king.

Obviously Samuel is a little nervous about that idea.

He knows that if Saul catches wind of this, his life could be in danger.

But God assures Samuel (as He often does) that He has his back.

So they head to Bethlehem.

Hmmm, Bethlehem.

Does that sound familiar?

When Samuel gets to Bethlehem, the elders are scared. I mean, they are shaking in their boots. Or sandals.

For some reason, that strikes me as a bit funny.

Samuel is not a huge warrior. He isn't this vicious king.  He is a priest.

Anyway, God Leads Samuel to Jesse's family.

I love what happens next.

The first son of Jesse stands before Samuel.

And Samuel is SURE he is the one, the one to be anointed.

Except he isn't.

I love what God says.

"God does not see the same way people do.  People look at the outside of a person, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Can I get an "Amen"? 

Isn't that the truth?

We all tend to judge based on what we see on the outside.

But God doesn't care.

He doesn't care if my hair is perfectly combed.  Or my toenails are beautifully painted.  Or that I am wearing the latest in fashion.

He doesn't look at those things.

He looks at my heart.

Anyway, the sons of Jesse parade before Samuel.

And...

Nothing.

Say what?

God nudges Samuel.  Samuel inquires, "Is this it? Is this all you have?"  Okay, I paraphrased a bit...

And Jesse says, "Oh, yeah" (yes, more paraphrasing...), there is one more. He is in the fields working.

It makes me wonder.

Did Jesse think less of his youngest son?

Or did it just not occur to him that one of his children was missing???

I guess I will never know.

Jesse calls for his shepherd child David.

And God tells Samuel, "That is him."

Samuel anoints David with oil and leaves.

I have often wondered what David thought about all that.

Did he wonder why this guy was dumping oil on his head?

What did his brothers think? Were they jealous?

Did any of them really know what it all meant?

I don't know the answers.

Just thinking aloud.

What happens next is to me just one more example of how God works.

Saul is distressed.

God's spirit has left him.

And he feels it.

His servants offer to find someone to come play music for him to soothe his heart, his mind, his spirit.

And who do they select?

Yes.

David.

And the plot thickens...

Tomorrow's reading: 
I Samuel 17

Reba