God has rejected Saul and is sending Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint another king. Notice what God told Samuel, “I have provided me a king.” God did the choosing, God did the guiding, and God did the blessing. Seven sons passed before Samuel, but the Lord had not chosen one of them to be king. “Are these all your children?”, Samuel asked Jesse. Jesse replies, “There is the youngest, and he is keeping the sheep.” The youngest, the sheep keeper, had not been invited to the lineup. Pay close attention to that last sentence…not invited. When David came before Samuel, God spoke, saying, “Arise, anoint him.” This youngest son, overlooked by his father and brothers, but not overlooked by God. When he came before Samuel, he still had the smell of the desert and sheep. In the field with the sheep is where God formed David, and by tending sheep, he learned how to be the king God anointed. Before he held a harp in his hands, he held a shepherd’s staff and a sling. God shapes his chosen in the fields before he reveals them to the public. It was in the fields tending sheep where God trained him for battles not yet seen.
Paul may have had this story in mind when he wrote 1 Corinthians 1: 26-29.
For ye see your calling, brethren, how not many men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
That no flesh should glory in his presence.
Do you feel uninvited, overlooked, or stuck in the field doing the lowly tasks? If so, remember this story about David and look up, for you were put here for a purpose.
So, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. 1 Samuel 16:13
Anointed King, but David went back to the field with the sheep. Why…maybe because David was too young to be a king? Or maybe it was because God was still molding David. Alone with the sheep, David could think, talk to God, and be fed spiritually by God. He could lie on his back on the cool grass at night, look at the stars, and see the wonders of God. Here he could be still and come to know God…and learn how to call on and praise Him. David learned that oil drips in low places before it pours on the head to be crowned.
