Locations & Times

Why did Samuel come to David's house? (He was looking for the next king.)

Why did God choose to be king? (David)

Why did God choose David? (David had a heart full of love for God.)

Read: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Samuel had a huge task ahead of him: choosing and anointing a new king for the nation of Israel. Upon arriving in Bethlehem, he asked Jesse to line up his sons for evaluation. To Samuel, the oldest son was the obvious choice for king. Biblically, the eldest male child was blessed. But it didn’t matter because God had another son in mind. He was choosing him not based on his birth order, or his physical appearance. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “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 people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

When David, the least likely, least qualified boy entered the room, Samuel finally heard God say, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” So Samuel did what God said, and God’s spirit filled David. David would become the new king, a king with a heart God saw as good. And that was all the qualification God required.

God looks at our hearts, too. He knows our hearts. He cares about our hearts above anything else. He sees our intentions and our thoughts. We are fully known by the God who created us. Knowing this truth means we can quiet any other voice that threatens our identity in Christ. It also changes the way we see and treat other people and the assumptions we make about them. As we look around at others and in towards ourselves, let’s not forget to look up to the God who made us, who tells us we are enough because he is enough for us.

Is there something in your life God has asked of you but the answer isn’t clear? How can you follow Samuel’s example and trust that God will help you?

It’s so easy to forget that God cares much more about our character than any outward appearance. What might it cost you to start filtering your life through God’s standard? What might you gain?