Day 21: 1 Samuel 16:1-1 Samuel 28:19 - 90 Day Challenge

The Story of David

Don't Overlook the Little Guy!


Today's reading began with Samuel. After realizing Saul was not fit to rule Egypt, he sets off to anoint a new ruler, to find one who will place God before himself. God sends him on a mission to select one of the sons of Jesse; when Samuel meets them, God doesn't point out any of them. So Samuel asks if there are any others, lo and behold, David, the youngest and smallest, is at home tending to the sheep. And God chose him. Why??

1 Samuel 16:7: "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 

So David becomes Saul's helper. Saul is no longer with the Spirit of God, and is filled with Evil. Whenever evil overcomes Saul, David plays the harp to calm him down. 

A Philistine man named Goliath comes to Israel to over take it. He wants a one on one battle to the death, winner takes all. David goes forward to fight him, and kills him with a rock and a sling shot. 




Saul was jealous of the attention that David was getting (even though David felt that he deserved none of it). Saul gives David one of his daughters as a wife, so David would be his son in law (there are some sort of ulterior motives here). And Saul proceeds to continuously try to kill David.

The first time, Saul's daughter warns him, because she truly loves him, and David flees. This happens several more times, and two times, David has the chance to kill Saul and end all of this. But he chooses not to. He leaves it to the Lord to take care of, because he does not want Saul's life on his hands. 

David comes into the land of a man named Nabal and his wife, Abigail. Nabal is a rude man and turns them away, but Abigail offers them food and apologizes for her husband. Her husband dies of a heart attack and David marries Abigail. 

David spares Saul's life a second time, but Saul continues searching for him--to kill him so David cannot come into the position of ruler over Israel. At this point, Samuel has died, but Saul seeks out a medium to contact Samuel. Samuel tells Saul what a garbage king he is and that God has chosen David, and that God will make good on his plan. 


Moral of the story? 
Nothing is too big when you have God on your side. 
  • Not Goliath
  • Not a king (and his army) with a bulls-eye on your back
  • Not an exam
  • Not a bully
  • Not any physical or mental trial is too big for you
Because the Lord your God is with you always. He will always get you through whatever it is that you're going through. BUT WHY?

Because he looks into your heart, and knows what you are capable of. Nothing is ever too big for you. He will not send you into a situation without the resources to get out of it (whether that's another person or people, a way to better manage your time, or mental strength). 

"In everything he did, he had great success, because the Lord was with him."

Is the Lord with you? Are you calling on the Lord to bring you up out of despair or desperation? 

It's something to think about.

Have a blessed Sunday!
Tomorrow's reading will be 1 Samuel 28:20-2 Samuel 12:10.

Jill Jafarace
Director of Student Ministry
New Leaf UMC





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