When God Takes Notice
Thursday, September 25
1 Samuel 16:12-13 (KJV)
“And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.”
Devotion
An important lesson from Sunday’s sermon, preached by Courteney Bence, is that Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes before there was ever a multiplication. He blessed them so that there would be a multiplication. It doesn’t matter what life looks like now. God’s plans are etched before the beginning of time, and His thoughts toward us are of peace and not of evil, to give us a future and a hope. He can do amazing things with a life that is placed in His hands.
Look at the life of David, a ruddy shepherd boy, whom God entrusted to be ruler over His people, Israel. God’s anointing was upon him wherever he went, and He made him a name, like the great men of the earth. King David asked the Lord, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?” (1 Chronicles 17:7-8, 16)
God’s favor was on David’s life. When the prophet Samuel went to anoint the next king of Israel, the Lord God told him to go to the house of Jesse. Samuel looked at each of his sons, some of whose stature and looks were befitting that of a king. But the Lord refused each one. God told Samuel, “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b) Samuel asked if there were any more sons, and Jesse replied, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” David was an unlikely candidate. Yet the Lord told Samuel to anoint David, “for this is the one!”
There was something about David that the Lord noticed. He said, “… I have found in David … a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.” (Acts 13:22 ESV) God didn’t notice this after David killed the giant Goliath. It was during those quiet days of isolation, while David protected his father’s sheep and dealt tenderly with pregnant ewes. Content where he was, David wrote psalms to God during these isolated times and worshiped Him. That’s when God took notice. God’s ways and thoughts are so much higher than our own. He knows what He is doing and what He will do with a life that is placed in His hands to bless!
Today's Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your example of David, the shepherd boy after Your own heart, whom You appointed king. I confess that, although I often see myself as the hero in Bible stories, I cannot say with confidence that I am a person after Your own heart. But I trust and know that in Jesus, You are in the business of changing hearts. Father, change my heart. By Your Holy Spirit, soften my heart and make it new by the blood of Jesus. By Your Word, teach my heart to distinguish good from evil. Through Your preachers and teachers, train me to hear and follow You better. And if I persist in my own way, discipline me through circumstances so that I can become a person after Your own heart, more and more useful in Your kingdom and changed from one degree of glory to another. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Apply It Today
Are you ready to place your life in God’s hands? David’s response to God’s blessing was trust. David’s response to God’s breaking was trust. David’s response to God’s victory and multiplication was trust. Trust does not mean we don’t experience challenges or concerns. David’s psalms make that clear and also provide excellent examples for our own worship and prayer in every situation. Try reading through the Psalms and look for how David trusted God with his life. You can, too.
Resources
If you sense God is calling you to trust Him further, pinpoint an area of your life that he’s asking you to trust Him in. Here are some ways Free Chapel can help: