A Royal Fresh Start

A Royal Fresh Start by Darrin Compagner Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. . . . The Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

When King Saul failed a great test of obedience, the Lord moved on. God sent Samuel on a mission to find a new king, a royal fresh start for God’s people.

This led to the fascinating story of David’s selection and anointing. The sons of Jesse paraded in front of Samuel. Some of them looked the part, given their outward appearance. But the Lord poured cold water on that, rejecting one after another.

Finally, the youngest son ws brought in from tending the sheep. With a healthy, handsome glow, David arrived. The Lord saw and approved David’s heart, and he told Samuel to anoint David as the future king of God’s people.

In this way David was plucked from obscurity. And the extra­ordinary thing about David was that he was surprisingly ordinary.

What David embodied in his time is still true for all people chosen in Christ. God’s extraordinary love and plans begin with strikingly ­ordinary people, who receive a high and holy calling. In Christ, we are “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9), anointed to serve God’s coming kingdom.

Lord, we thank you for calling us to be your own. Help us to see the honor and joy of participating in the kingdom of Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.