So! You weren’t the favorite

So, you weren’t your father’s or mother’s favorite, and your siblings followed suit to that disparity in treatment; well, consider yourself in good company. David was God’s Choice to be king over Israel. When the Prophet Samuel came to Jesse the Bethlehemite’s house because the Lord told him I have provided Myself a king among his sons, 1 Sam. 16:1. All the sons of Jesse presented themselves to the Prophet. The first son was an excellent looking man, so much so Samuel said, ” Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!” The Lord told Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for the man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart, 1 Sam 16:7. For each of Jesse’s sons that walked past the Prophet, the Lord tells Samuel, “Not this one!” Then the Prophet told Jesse the Lord hadn’t chosen any of these. Do you have another son? Imagine that! Jesse knew the Prophet coming bore a significant meaning. The Prophet consecrated Jesse and his sons, except the youngest! So all the while of this consecration and sacrificing, the youngest son wasn’t there. Jesse remembers he has another son keeping the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him.” For we will not sit down till he comes here.” When he arrived, the Lord told Samuel, “Arise and anoint him; for this is the one!” He wasn’t his father’s Choice, But he was God’s Choice. His father seemed to have forgotten about his son, the keeper of the sheep, till Samuel asked, “Are all the young men here?” Did Jesse forget how many sons he had? Or did he serve such a minimal task in the family because he was the least favorite? The Bible doesn’t say. But from this story, you can safely derive he didn’t have a prominent family position. This forgotten son was King David God’s Choice! This king wrote 72 or more psalms. My favorite for this situation is Psalm 139:13-16, for You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You. When I was in secret and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance being formed. David describes how the Lord uniquely developed and knows His creation. Everyone is born for and with a purpose. Our parents don’t determine our destiny. King David’s father had no idea he was raising a king. Neither did his oldest brother. When he heard David speaking to the men of Israel, his brother Eliab became angry and said to his brother David, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down here to see the battle, 1 Sam 17:28.” Remember, David was sent there by his father to take bread to his brothers and bring back word. But when he got there, his destiny was unfolding.

David declares victory, knowing the Lord!

There stood a champion from the Philistine camp named Goliath of Gath. Telling the men of Israel sent out a man to fight with me and the loser will serve the winner. Being reward-motivated, David asked what shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away Israel’s reproach. The king will enrich him with great riches and give him his daughter and give his father house exemption from taxes in Israel, 1 Sam. 17:25-26. David knew the heart of the Lord and that Israel was and still is God’s people. David said to King Saul, Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”

God-given victories

Moreover, David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and bear. He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. David had victories the Lord God had given him. I’m sure with each victory came a consciousness of God’s love and favor for him. David spoke boldly in 1 Samuel 17:45-47. David said to Goliath, “You come to me with a sword, spear, and javelin. But I come in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I strike you and take your head from you. David continued to boast in the Lord; this day, I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the wild beast. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.” David began with tending sheep, and the Lord promoted him to the king of Israel, the lead seat in His nation. 

God’s Choice is the goal!

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, (not His favorite, but His only) that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life, John 3:16. Jesus Christ died for the ungodly, Rom. 5:6. Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead (for our sake). You will be saved. Receive the son the only way to the Father, John 14:6. That’s the Lord’s way; make that your choice!