God Looks at Your Heart ( I Samuel 16:1-13 )
Many of our favorite Bible passages in the book of Psalms were written by King David of the Old Testament. We know that David loved the Lord because he was a worshipper of God and would play his harp, sing praises, and even danced before the Lord in celebration.
Before David would become king and fight Goliath, King Saul was the ruler of Israel. Saul was tall and had a commanding presence. However, King Saul willfully disobeyed God and tried to make excuses to the prophet Samuel for his decisions. The prophet Samuel said that his kingdom would be taken away from him and given to another.
God told Samuel to go to Bethlehem to anoint the future king of Israel. When Samuel entered the town, the elders asked if he had come peacefully. He said yes and that he came to sacrifice an animal to the Lord. He invited them and Jesse, David’s father, to join him. Now Jesse had several sons and as Samuel saw one of them, Eliab, he was impressed by his great stature and appearance. Samuel thought, this must be God’s choice, but God said no. Samuel proceeded to meet Jesse’s other seven sons to see if one of them was God’s choice. None of them were chosen and finally, Samuel asked Jesse if he had any other sons who had not come to the sacrifice.
Jesse said, yes, his youngest, who was taking care of the sheep. Samuel said that they would not sit down until the youngest was present. David, the youngest son, watched the sheep and protected them. He played his music in the field and practiced his marksmanship with the slingshot. When David came before Samuel, God told Samuel to anoint him as the future king of Israel. David is described as ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. He was not tall land of great stature like King Saul.
In verse 7 of I Samuel 15, God says to Samuel, “Do not look at the appearance or at the height of his stature (Eliab), because I have refused him. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Personal Development Tip of the week:
In our walk with God, it’s more important to work on our hearts than to rely on our outward appearances. We can’t make ourselves taller, change the color of our skin, or change our biology. We may not look like leaders to the world, but God looks within. What are our motives, do we trust and honor God in all that we do? David would grow up and face many challenges in his life, including adultery, murder, and war, but He always had a great love for God and his goodness and mercy.
Read Psalms 1, 23, 91, and 103 to get more insight. God wants to have a deep and personal relationship with you just as He did with David. Invite Jesus into your heart today and ask Him to lead and direct your life like the good shepherd in Psalms.
Prayer for the week:
Thank you, lord, for another great week. Thank God it’s Monday, bless us lord this week to grow, give, and be courageous in everything we do. Be with us as we make decisions and give us wisdom, guidance, and direction this week in Jesus name amen!
-Dayne
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God Looks at Your Heart