Refreshing Hope: 12-26-16 The Little Shepherd Boy

The Little Shepherd Boy

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  It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, Surely Yahweh's anointed is before him. But Yahweh said to Samuel, 'Don't look on his face, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for Yahweh sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.' 1 Samuel 16:6 WEB
  
  When Samuel came to anoint the next king of Israel, the Lord had only told him that it would be a son of Jesse, but Jesse had eight sons to choose from. So Samuel went to see Jesse and anoint one of his sons as the next king. Jesse had lined up the seven oldest. The first son was named Eliab and he was tall and handsome. When Samuel saw him, he thought in his heart, 'Surely this is one!" but God simply told him: 'I have rejected this one.'
  
  Samuel went through the first seven sons of Jesse, and it was all the same: 'The Lord has not chosen this one.' When Samuel finally reached the end of the line and ran out of sons to look at, he asked Jesse if this was all of his sons. Jesse said that the youngest one was out tending the sheep and Samuel said: 'Bring him, he is the one.'
  
  It turned out that God wanted the little shepherd boy who was playing the harp and singing while tending the sheep: young David. He had no idea that he would be a giant killer and the next king of the land.
  
  The Lord does not look on the outward appearance like we do. He looks on the heart, the inside that we like to hide. Why you do something is more important than what you do. The pharisee that was praying on the street corner was wasting their time because they only did it to be seen by others (Matthew 6:5). Prayer was good, but their motives were bad.
  
  Still today, it will be the one that God chooses and anoints that will do His work. When God chooses you for a task, no one can stop you. Though it may feel like it is delayed, it will come to pass in His timing. God took the little shepherd boy, anointed him and raised him up to be the leader of His people, and without the approval of his brothers (1 Samuel 17:28). They looked down on him even while God was raising him up.
  
  Keep a positive attitude. Don't let the trials get you down. Keep putting God first and He will raise you up, even if it means outside of their circle. Only you can stop God's plan for your life, no one else has the authority to do so.
  
  Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You so much for all that You have done for me. Guide me to where I need to be. My life, is Yours. I choose to trust You today in blind faith. I cannot see what is coming, but You already know the outcome and are able to prepare me for anything that I face. You chose me Lord, and I choose You, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.