A few weeks ago I was reading the story of how David was selected by God to become King. The prophet Samuel visited the home of Jesse, David's father, and would not be seated until he had seen all of Jesse's sons. On seeing the last, the youth David, Samuel anointed him. We read this...

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.

As I read it, not for the first time did I wonder how David felt. He would have known of the prophet Samuel and that God had already instructed him to anoint Saul as King of Israel. David would have known the rich history of his people - he was, after all, the great-grandson of Ruth and Boaz. In chapter 16 of 1 Samuel, the teenager David is, without warning, chosen by God to be the next King. We can only conjecture what he must have felt at the end of that day. Why me? Who am I to be made king? How am I going to be king when Saul is already king? Maybe he went back and discussed it with his sheep!

Read 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Consider

Samuel anointed David with oil. Oil was, and of course still is, used as a substance to bring protection, healing and comfort. In Exodus 25 we read that the anointing oil was mixed with spices. Anointing with oil signifies consecration, often to ceremonially confer service; there is also a sense of being set apart. In anointing the oil is largely symbolic, but brings with it this sense of healing and wholeness.

For the sense of occasion read of some other anointing events in Exodus 29:7, Ex 40:9, 2 Kings 9:6, 1 Sam 10:1, Ecc 9:8, James 5:14. Anointing is an act of consecration, an act of declaring something or someone sacred - that of dedication to God. 

It has been many years since I was baptised, probably the last public occasion when I was dedicated. It is often carried out in one's youth and thinking about David's anointing has set me thinking about my youthful enthusiasm. Consider what re-anointing might happen in your life?   

Returning to my leading verse in 1 Sam 16, the main impact to me, a week or two back, was the record that the Spirit of God came upon David in power. We have no real idea what that meant and we might only guess. Was it much greater wisdom, significant physical strength, deeper emotional sensitivity, outstanding spiritual maturity, greater mental capacity?

My own thoughts are these. David was a shepherd - in terms of job status he was the lowest of the low (read his eldest brother Eliab's scoffs in 1 Sam 17:28), in terms of family status he was the last. But as you read his story you get a sense of calm confidence. I wonder if all that time tending sheep gave him the perfect opportunity to connect with God. No doubt he would spend days upon days in the same field with the same sheep. I suspect that he used much of his thinking time befriending God - and God him. Does that sound familiar - lots of time, no where really to go, nothing really to do? How's your relationship with God developing?

My thoughts are that this was the basis that God chose David and after his anointing God blessed him with even more of everything! 

Song Anointed

Prayer

In light of this topic, the prayers suggested here are intentionally personal. If you wish to extend them to other topics please do so.  

• Spend a moment in quiet thought with God. Give him time to speak to you.
• Invite the Holy Spirit into your presence.
• It may be that you've done it recently, but consider re-dedicating your life to God.
• Pray for God's anointing on your life.
• Pray that God will reveal, not so much the big things that you can do for him, but the smaller, day by days, things.