letting the Lord be your qualifier

Take time on your own to read 1 Samuel 16 then check back.

Mannnn there’s SO much to learn in the details of this story!

Jesse presents all of his sons to Samuel… except for the youngest, David. When Samuel asks if everyone is there, Jesse dismisses David as a contender for the throne. He was written off as too young, too busy, too unprepared, immature and unqualified. And yes, this becomes one of those beautiful “but God” moments.

If you never showed up to practice, would you expect to be team captain?

If you ditched a job interview, would you anticipate a job offer?

The obvious answer to these questions is of course not! Most things in life require us to consistently show up & put in hard work.

That’s why it’s remarkable that David is chosen. He wasn’t the oldest son. He didn’t have any training//preparation to qualify him for this position. I mean, he wasn’t even at the tryouts! He didn’t put on a performance; there was no striving for success//status. Notice what David WAS doing. He remained faithful to diligently, humbly, & excellently complete his present purpose: shepherding. This lowly chore would ultimately prepare him to shepherd a nation. Isn’t that incredible ?!

What this means for you & me::

We can all pressure at times to be advancing//achieving in areas of life such as academics, involvement, relationships, athletics, etc… The world has thrown an endless to do list our way, saying “If you wanna achieve X, you’ve gotta complete _____” (insert long list of unfulfillable tasks).

If you’ve ever felt weighed down by that burden, this message is for you!! David’s story is proof that trusting the Lord with your future is far more effective & reliable than control. Your future is more secure in His hands than it will ever be in your own hands. Do you believe that? Praise God that I’m not left to rely on my own strength, gifts, & accomplishments to qualify me! Only when I’m totally reliant on HIS strength and abilities can I truly leverage my life for the kingdom. I pray that we don’t pass up this freedom that’s offered to us! Be encouraged this morning! The Lord is qualifying you for what’s ahead in His own unique way. Let’s remain faithful in our work, and trust the Lord to bring us in from the pasture when the time is right, according to His will.

1 Samuel 16:7 “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 sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’”

1 Timothy 4:12 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.”