1 Samuel 16

We don’t always know what’s happening while it’s happening.

Looking back on my own life, I can recognize seasons of change. One event connects to or even causes another. It seems that many key parts contributed to where I am now. In some cases, I can pinpoint the exact day or even moment that started me on a path toward a specific outcome. The crazy part is this: I had no clue what was happening while it was happening. It wasn’t until years later that I could look back and recognize the way God was shaping my life.

In 1 Samuel 16, we read about Samuel anointing David as king over Israel. This is our first introduction to David, but we know of course that he goes on to play a huge part in God’s unbroken story. From this first glimpse, we know that David is special because God says so. We know that he will be king. But Samuel doesn’t proclaim to everyone around that he was sent by God to anoint David as the new king, so it seems that no one apart from God and Samuel knew what was really happening. Did David look back years later and recognize the way God was working when he was called in from keeping sheep to be anointed?

None of us will be kings, but we are all an important part of God’s story. Maybe you can look back and see Him working in your life, or maybe in the years to come you will be able to look back and see that something big has only just begun. Regardless of where you are as far as being able to recognize it, God is working.