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? If Saul hears about it, he will 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.

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 people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.”  Jesse had 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. “He is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”

So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

We arrive at King David. Born in Bethlehem. David of “born in the town of David” fame. The greatest king Israel ever had. The writer of many of the psalms. A man after God’s own heart.

Abraham was promised a nation. Moses received the covenant at Sinai. David would receive the promise, “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me. Your throne will be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:16)

Forever. Eternally. That’s quite a promise.

But how unlikely it all would have seemed at the beginning. David was a shepherd when he was chosen to be king. He was considered unimportant in his own family for they didn’t even bother to send for him when Samuel arrived inviting Jesse and his family to a sacrifice.

Samuel assumed God would have chosen one of the strong, handsome men who were there. They looked like men who could be king. No, instead God chose the young guy off doing chores. Yes, he was handsome, but he wasn’t big and strong as people thought a king should be. Kings had to be warriors, so bigger and stronger was good.

But, God’s standards of what is beautiful or important often doesn’t line up with society’s. Here in the West we worship beauty and youth. We love the latest and the greatest. Trends and celebrities come and go and yet it is to these things that we look to know how to dress, how to look, how to style our homes. Our disposable culture encourages us to change things every season to stay current.

But God is looking for something that will stand the test of time. He’s looking for people with hearts that are or will be, in time, oriented towards him. That is where eternity lies- with him. Through David, God promised an eternal kingdom. As Christians, we know that kingdom belongs to Jesus. And that is the only thing that is lasting. Youthful looks fade. Muscles weaken. Trends come and go. But a person whose heart is sealed with the Holy Spirit will last forever.

Let us pray.

Lord, thank you for your love and grace towards us. Thank you that you want to spend forever with us. Thank you that you don’t judge by outward appearances but by what is inside. Thank you that as we trust in you, we can be part of that eternal kingdom. Amen.

Questions

Do you tend to focus on what’s really important or do you tend to get distracted by other things? Ask God each day to help you focus on the things that need your attention.

We spend a lot of time on appearances at Christmas. Making sure the house and the tree look just right. Are you taking time to make sure your heart is oriented in the right direction?

The greatest gift we can receive is the gift of eternal life and living in that eternal kingdom. If you don’t already, pick at least three people to begin regularly praying to receive that gift.