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Samuel never came to Saul again;
he could not bear to see that wicked king; for Saul was growing more and
more rebellious against God. Samuel remembered the day when he first
saw Saul at Ramah; when he talked so kindly to him, and anointed him king,
and kissed, and blessed him. Then Saul was humble, and gentle, and
obedient; and Samuel hoped he loved God, and wished to serve Him.
But now Saul was proud, and rebellious, and disobedient. He had
forsaken God, and God had forsaken him. Samuel was very unhappy when
he thought about this. How sad it is to begin rightly like Saul, and
soon to grow weary of well doing, and forget God, and love the world, and
Satan, and sin, better than holy things! If we grow tired of God,
God will depart from us. If we leave off praying, God will not give
us His grace; and then we shall grow worse and worse, and at last die
without hope, and without forgiveness. One
day, when Samuel was mourning for Saul, God spoke to him, and said,
"Do not mourn any longer for Saul. I will not have him for
king, because he has forsaken me. Take a horn of oil, and go to the
house of Jesse, in Bethlehem. I have chosen a king among his
sons." Then Samuel obeyed God, and went to Bethlehem, and made
a sacrifice there, as God told him, and he called Jesse and his sons to
the sacrifice. Jesse had eight sons. The seven eldest were at
home, but the youngest was in the fields keeping sheep. When Samuel
saw Eliab, Jesse's eldest son, he was very much pleased with him; and
thought he must be the new king God had chosen. But God did not look
at the face, He looked at the heart; He wanted a king who would love and
serve him, not a king who was tall and handsome. He said, "I
have not chosen this man." Samuel looked at the six other sons
also, but God had chosen none of them. Then Samuel said to Jesse,
"Where is thy youngest son? Call him, for we must have him
here." Then Jesse sent
out to the field, and brought in his youngest son. His name was
David. David was young. He too was beautiful; but God did not
choose him for his beauty. David loved God, and he wished and prayed
to love Him more. When David was alone in the fields, keeping his
sheep, he liked to think of God. And then, David used to pray, and
to play upon his harp, and sing beautiful hymns of praise to God.
How pleasant it is when young people begin to love and serve the Lord
early, as David did! When
David came into his father's house, God said to Samuel. "Anoint
him; this is the king I have chosen." Then Samuel poured oil
upon David's head, and anointed him; and all his brothers looked on.
David wondered why God should honor him so much, and give him the kingdom;
but he was not proud of the honor. He did not want to be king
directly; he waited patiently for the right time. God had given
David a better thing than the kingdom. He had given him His Holy
Spirit. This made David truly wise. God himself had taught him
about Christ, and Heaven, and future things which should happen after
David's death.
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