| 1:45 MIN READ |

The world is now filled with hearts. From YouTube to Facebook to Instagram, the little heart icon has become the universal symbol of approval.

God is big on hearts too! He made this clear when He sent Samuel the prophet to anoint the second king of Israel. Samuel was sent to the house of a man named Jesse in Bethlehem. God told Samuel that the next king was one of Jesse’s sons. He also promised to make it clear which one to anoint.

Samuel showed up at Jesse’s home and began the process of reviewing all his sons, from the oldest to the youngest. Eliab was the eldest son. Samuel looked him over, and note what happened, recorded in 1 Samuel 16:6, 7 (NLT) “When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, ‘Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”

When God gets ready to give someone important opportunities, He has a unique inspection process. While we generally judge people on their appearance and achievements, God goes about it differently. He goes deeper. He inspects the heart. Eventually, God affirmed to Samuel that David was the young man who had the right heart to lead Israel forward into the future.

When God chose David, David had no major accomplishments, no fancy resume, and no impressive credentials. His only experience was being a faithful shepherd over his dad’s flock of sheep. What he did have was a prepared heart! God was impressed with David’s heart.

How’s your heart? Are you giving attention to the thing that matters most to God–your heart? If so, good. If not, start today!

Pastor Dale

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