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| The Anointing of David (Public Domain) |
“This
Is He” by Melanie Rigney (@melanierigney)
Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the
sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the
sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial
banquet until he arrives here.” Jesse sent and had the young man brought to
them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid
appearance. The LORD said, “There–anoint him, for this is he!” (1
Samuel 16:11-14)
I have found David, my servant.
(Psalm 89:21)
“The sabbath was made
for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of
the sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28)
Piety
Lord, help me to embrace the path
You have set for me.
Study
It wasn’t that David’s seven
brothers were awful people. In today’s first reading, we learn the names of
only three of them, and God speaks of rejecting just one of them; the others,
Samuel tells us, were not chosen for anointing. The ruddy youngest brother will
fill that role.
Elsewhere, we learn of the ebb and
flow on David’s relationship with his brothers. At times, they resented him. At
times, they considered him prideful and lazy. At times, they were ready to die
for him as members of his army. They each had a God-given role; sometimes, all
eight brothers performed that role well; sometimes, they—including David—fell
far short.
Not being chosen for the big part is
hard for some people, whether it’s to be king, county board chairman, pastor,
president of the condo association, a best-selling author, an award-winning
pianist, and so on. But the less public parts are just as important, as my
writer friend Donna Lee Davis recently wrote in a post titled “Elixir.”
“It’s a wise woman who embraces her
small successes,” Donna writes. “I’m learning to be wise.”
None of us is likely to be anointed
king or queen. But may we embrace His anointing for that particular role He has
for us.
Action
Offer gratitude for the gifts the
Lord has given you, and look today for a new way to use them.
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