A Man After God’s Own Heart

1 Samuel 16:1–13

When we study the life of David in the Old Testament, we can gain valuable insights about Jesus’ life. If we read the Bible focusing on God’s story, we start to see Jesus everywhere. We also learn about the idea of a king who loves God, the need to recognize our sadness, and how important the act of anointing is, just like when Samuel anointed David.

1. The chosen one is often not who we expect

Jesus, the Messiah, didn’t fit into the world’s idea of a powerful leader. He didn’t look like what people expected, so they didn’t recognize his true strength. But God knew that Jesus was the strongest of all. This shows us the big difference between how the world sees things and how God sees them.

2. The chosen one is given a mission

God doesn’t need a big army to save His people, as we see in the stories of David and Gideon. Even when they were outnumbered, God showed His power. In Gideon’s case, God reduced his army to just 300 men, yet they still defeated the Midianites. This theme, also seen in Hannah’s story, shows us that salvation comes only from God, not our own strength.

3. The chosen ones always face hardships

People often don’t understand those chosen by God, but they carry an important message: only God can save us. David’s life shows this clearly. Even though he was chosen by God at a young age and faced many years of hardship, he trusted in God’s rescue. Unlike Saul, who was corrupted by power, David’s trust in God shaped him into a king who loved God, growing through his hardships and becoming better through obedience.

4. The chosen one is given a promise, God’s presence, and a task

When God chooses someone, He gives them a mission, His presence, a promise, and asks them to face hardships with a message that the world might not understand. Jesus, the ultimate chosen one, faced misunderstanding and hardship, but through all this, He achieved our rescue. As Christians, we are also chosen by God, given promises, and asked to face hardships that can help us serve others better, all while understanding that the Bible’s main focus is Jesus, shedding light on our own chosen status and the importance of keeping our faith.