A King to Be – A Devotion for Children

“Samuel asked him, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ ‘There is still the youngest,’ he answered, ‘but right now he’s tending the sheep.’ Samuel told Jesse, ‘Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.’” (1 Samuel 16:11)

Long ago there lived a young shepherd. He was about 17 or 18 years old, and he was very strong. He was the youngest of eight brothers, and he stayed mostly out in the fields, watching over his father’s sheep, protecting them from lions and bears and thieves.

One day when he was in the field, a messenger came from his father. The messenger told him that his father wanted him to come home. His father was having a special banquet in his tent for a guest named Samuel. And Samuel had told his father that they would not eat until he got there. So David hurried on home.

When David entered the tent he saw his father, his eight brothers, and another man in the middle, all staring at him, and he went over and joined them at the table. The Lord told Samuel that this was the one.

So, right in front of everyone, Samuel got up, went to where David was sitting, and poured some olive oil on David’s head. In those days, pouring olive oil on someone’s head meant that that person was chosen for something special. David was to become king of all Israel.

Well, David did not know how he could become king. For one thing, Saul was already king of Israel, and for another, David’s family was not wealthy or influential. But still, Samuel was a prophet of God, which meant that he announced the word of God. So if Samuel said this, David knew it was from God, that it was true, and that God would make it happen. He believed the words that came from God.

Now David was only 17 or 18 when this happened. We know he became king of Israel. But did you know it took 20 years? That’s almost like going all the way through high school twice. David was 37 when he became king of all Israel. There were all sorts of problems along the way, but eventually God made David king of Israel, just like He promised.

David could have given up. But he never stopped believing. He kept on believing God’s word and trusting God. That is what we call faith. Faith means you trust God forever.

God kept His promise to send His Son, Jesus. Jesus came so that we could all be saved from our sins. He said that when we turn away from sin and believe in Him, that He will forgive us for our sins and take us to heaven with Him one day. We trust God to keep His promises.

Do you trust God to keep His promises?

Lord, We trust You to keep Your word. Amen.