Advent Podcast - Episode 14 - The Sixteenth Day of Advent

David Chosen to be King

1 Samuel 16:1-13 - Read by Laura Brown
1The 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
As a boy, I was a member of the Boy Scouts of America. The highest honor in Scouting is the Eagle Scout, and every Eagle Scout is awarded a medal with the Scout motto. It is a simple motto of just two words: Be Prepared.  When Scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell established the motto in 1907 his idea was that Scouts should prepare themselves to become productive citizens and strong leaders and to bring joy to other people. He wanted each Scout to be ready in mind and body and spirit to meet whatever challenges await him.  The Bible is full of stories that tell us to “be prepared” for the arrival of our king, Jesus, and Advent is a time when we prepare our hearts for his return.  Our passage today from 1 Samuel 16 shows that God chose David, not because of his appearance, attractive though it was, but because of what was in his heart. Verse 7 reminds us, “the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”  David was a man after God’s own heart.
This Advent season, as we wait for the coming of Christ, let every heart prepare him room, and like David, be found as a person after God’s own heart.


Our King and Savior is drawing near!
O come, let us adore him!