Do the Next Thing
But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. - (1 Samuel 17:34–35)
When David was anointed as the next king of Israel, his job description at the time was watching sheep. Now, sheep are not the most interesting animals on earth. Maybe when David was sitting around watching them, he thought, They are dumb, but I love them. They really need me, because if I don’t come through for them and defend them, they are leg of lamb for a predator.
There were times when David took on lions and bears and killed them. I don’t think David knew he was being tested or prepared, but he was. And that is how God always works. He preps us. He gets us in shape for what is yet to come.
There was no timeline given after Samuel showed up and poured oil on David, anointing him as the next king. So what did David do? He went back to the last thing.
In his excellent book on David, Chuck Swindoll wrote, “[David] did not go down to the nearest department store and try on crowns. . . . He went right back to the sheep.”
God’s selection of David was so unexpected that we should pay careful attention to it. In choosing David, God is showing us what kind of person He is looking for. David was faithful.
Joseph had visions of grandeur as a young man, but he wasn’t ready yet. God was preparing Joseph for the next thing, and he didn’t realize it. God would allow him to go through some suffering first. Joseph was a dreamer, but God was getting him ready for reality.
When you don’t know what to do, go back to the last thing God showed you. Work hard. Be faithful in what God has set before you, and He will show you what to do next.
Copyright © 2015 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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