Faithfull Disciple
GOD CALLS THE YOUNG!
When Jeremiah (the prophet) was a youth, God spoke to him about his destiny. Here's what He said, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
But Jeremiah didn't think he had what it takes to actually walk in that anointing and so he replied, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth." But the Lord didn't buy into that! Instead, He encouraged Jeremiah with these words:
"Do not say, 'I am a youth,' for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak" (Jer. 1:5-7).
God had complete confidence in Jeremiah. He was called and he was chosen when he was young. In fact, before Jeremiah was born, God sanctified him! [Sanctify means: to set apart for sacred use; consecrate; to make holy; purify-The American Heritage Dictionary. Consecrate means: dedicated to a sacred purpose; sanctified-The American Heritage Dictionary]
Timothy was another youth who was called and chosen. When Paul (the apostle) told Timothy, his "true son in the faith", to "command and teach these things" (1 Tim. 1:2; 4:11), he emphasized, "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim. 4:12). Paul recognized Timothy's emerging spiritual maturity.
Now! David came on the scene several centuries before Jeremiah and a thousand years before Timothy. He too was young. God chose him to be Israel's king when he was a teenager. Although he was the youngest, he was the choicest in the eyes of God. So what was it about David that God loved so much? To begin answering that question, we need to look at one particular scene just before David was anointed king (by Samuel, the prophet). Scripture says that when Eliab, one of David's brothers, was brought before Samuel as a possible candidate (to be king over Israel), the Lord gave Samuel some advice. This is what He said:
"Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7).
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