It was the boy

After I Samuel 16:1-13 

It wasn’t any of the men

whom the Lord chose,

the men so imposing 

and handsome, conforming

to human expectations

of what a king should be.

It was the boy, handsome,

yes, but the critical thing

wasn’t the appearance.

It was the boy’s heart,

the boy’s heart that

sought God, the heart

that would listen to God

and slay giants. Anoint

the boy, for this is the one

I’ve chosen, a boy after

my own heart.

 

Photograph by Onur Binay via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Friday Readings

 

The Hare and the Lamb – story by Paul Kingsnorth.

 

“Sabbaths 2020 VIII,” poem by Wendell Berry – D.S. Martin at Kingdom Poets.

 

Why my watch buzzes at 10:02 every morning – Ed Stych at Fishers of Men.

 

“The Day Thou Gavest,” hymn by John Ellerton – Anthony Esolen at Word & Song.

 

Light Little Fires – Chris Martin at FYI.

 

Dappled Glory – poem by Seth Lewis.

It is the heart

After I Samuel 16:1-13 

One by one they file by,

the seven sons, each

pleasing in their own

way, especially in

their appearance. And

one by one, the Lord

says no, don’t be

fooled by a handsome

face, an imposing

stature, broad shoulders,

a commanding voice,

all the things that

matter to men. Instead,

look at what I look at,

what I value: the heart.

 

Photograph by Tim Mossholder via Unsplash Used with permission.

Some Sunday Readings

 

The Surprising Relevance of Haggai and Malachi – Christine Gordon at CDM Women’s Ministry.

 

Against the City of Noise – Justin Lee at Cluny Journal.

 

The People of His Majesty: Five Marks of a Marveling Church – Fiskebachs Kyrkan at Desiring God.

A grief, fearful

After Samuel 16:1-13

The prophet grieved,

yes, the loss of a king’s

anointing; the words

of God were sufficient.

Yet the king was still

a king, one who would

not accept rejection or

disloyalty, especially

by the prophet who 

had poured the oil

in the first place. 

The prophet knew 

this, and he was

afraid. So he was

given an excuse,

a cover, for protection:

take a cow with you

and say it’s for 

a sacrifice to me.

Go.

 

Photograph by Elyas Pasban via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Friday Readings

 

Sarah Who Loved a Man—Katie Andraskie at Katie’s Ground.

 

A Question for All the Teens Who Saw Charlie Kirk Die – Tim Challies.

 

Charlie Kirk and the fifth great awakening – Freddy Gray at The Spectator.

 

Why parables, Jesus? – Joel Miller at Miller’s Book Review.

 

“Rejoice, the Lord is King,” hymn by Charles Wesley – Anthony Esolen at Word & Song.

 

My tongue must tell of a better king – Andrew Roycroft at New Grub Street.

A grief, observed

After I Samuel 16:1-13 

The chose one has

lost his authority.

The prophet sees

the sin, understands

the reason, but

grieves the loss,

the king who

appears a king,

who bears a king’s

image, the man

anointed by

the prophet

himself. And he

grieves. Then

the questions

come. How long,

man, will you

grieve? How long,

man, do you

grieve for man

I’ve rejected?

Fill your horn

with oil; a new

king is chosen.

 

Photograph by Alexander Grey via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Sunday Readings

 

Psalm 51 – poem by Megan Willome.

 

Bitcoin and Stewardship – Tim Fox at By Faith.

 

What I Saw at School That Made Me Flinch – Becky Ramsey.

 

A Sonnet for St. Matthew’s Day – Malcolm Guite.

From the first

After I Samuel 16:1-13 

From the first moment

of the anointment, the king

is blessed, set apart to lead

and to rule. It doesn’t

happen immediately, only

over time. But from that

moment, the spirit rushes

upon the boy, seizing him

for what he’s been called 

to do, capturing him to rule

and to fight. Despite his youth,

what happens with this boy

teaches the prophet, the one

who anoints, a lesson of life:

man looks at the outward

appearance; God looks

at the heart.

 

Photograph by Mayur Gala via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Friday Readings

 

Footnote to All Prayers – poem by C.S. Lewis at Kingdom Poets (D.S. Martin).

 

Because He Has Heard – Kyle Borg at Gentle Reformation.

 

#thatsmyking: a sermon for Christ the King Sunday – Dan King at BibleDude. 

 

Hot and Cold – Seth Lewis.

 

Communicating, After a Fall – David Murray at Writing Boots.

The unexpected

After I Samuel 16:1-13 

The choice is made,

the anointed is chosen,

and one by one

the sons pass by.

This one, surely, he

thinks. Of course, it

most be this one. No?

Then it must be

this other one. One

by one, seven sons

pass by. One by one,

sevens sons are

rejected. Do you have

any others, he asks.

Only the youngest,

the one in the hills

tending the sheep.

The boy is summoned;

the boy is chosen and

anointed. The prophet 

shakes his head: 

the ways of the Lord

are not the ways

of man.

 

Photograph by Pawan Sharma via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Sunday Readings

 

Man of War and Grace: The Greatest of Israel’s Kings – David Mathis at Desiring God.

 

12 Phrases Shakespeare Coined That We Still Use Today – Inspiring Quotes.

All changes

After I Samuel 16:1-13 

It seems that all

is well, a surface

of calm and continuity.

But all is changed;

the light has passed

from one to another.

The prophet is told

to go to a new one,

newly anointed,

a mission fraught

with fear, fraught

with uncertainty.

But he goes, down

to Bethlehem,

the city where

it will all begin,

the anointing and

ushering in of

a new king. When 

this prophet is

tasked, this prophet

obeys.

 

Photograph by Niklas Ohlrigge via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Friday Readings

 

The Hand – poem by Marly Youmans at Kingdom Poets (D.S. Martin).

 

4 Aspects of Being Made in God’s Image – D. Eaton at Fight of Faith.

 

Reversing Babel – poem by Cynthia Erlandson at Society of Classical Poets.

 

Lewis the Prophet – Rhys Laverty at The Critic Magazine.

 

Thomas Onwhyn’s London – Spitalfields Life.