Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-04-07
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON FOR APRIL 4
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Text of the lesson, I Sam. XVI. 4-i3.
Memory Verses, IL, 13-Goldcn
Text, / Sam. XVI, documentary
prepared by Rev. ID. VI. Stcarns.

IL is certainly restfui 10 be in the
hands of Him who worketh all things
after the counsel OF His own will (Eph
/. ~ and who says. Il viii work, and
who shall let it (hinder, or turn back
lisa. xiii, 49,. provided we have no
will of our own IA the matter Even
Samuel seems not to have been fully
one with the Lord concerning Saul, for
he continued to mourn for him after
the Lord had rejected him, 50 that the
Lord had To SAY Id him, How long
wilt thou muurn Tor Saul. seeing
have rejected aim from relgning over
Israeli When we can say. Even SO,
Father. lust and true are thy ways"
because we are certain that AS for
God. His way is perfect" Matt. ri, 20;
Rev. Ky. 3; rs. Will 800. we have en-
tered upon Il restful life Then its
continuance depends upon our living
in the perfect will of God moment by
moment Note the messages 10 Sam
ue i'm verses -: Il will send thee TO
Jesse. have provided me II king.
will show thee what thou shalt do.
An0int unto Me him whom | name
unto thee" This left nothing for Sam
uel but simple obedience 10 Him who
was managing.
But Samuel had an objection, If
Saul hear i, he will Kill me" The
Lord quieted him. and matters pro.
ceeded. and Samuel did that which the
Lord spake and came to Bethlehem 10
meet Jesse and his sons verses 4. 81
The elders OF the town seemed TO re
gard Samuel almost ms God Himself
or they must have had very guilty con.
sciences for they trembled ut his com
ing until assured that he came peace
ably. Those who are walking with
God need have no fear of n visit from
n man of God nor of the coming of the
Lord Himself, for il is possible so To
abide that we shah not be ashamed
before Him nj His coming Il John ii.
PSI. Having called Jesse and his sons.
Samuel thought that he saw in Eliab
tit successor To Saul. but the Lord told
him not to look on his out ward appear
ance oversees q. - When we consider
Eliab's contemptuous and uncaied for
treatment of David little later tXvii
2Sl we do not wonder that the Lord
refused him. for He knew what WAS
In man (John ii. 2Jl Seven of JeSSe's
sons passed before Samuel all who
had come To meet him. but the Lords
choice was NOT among them. 80 that
Samuel had TO ask. Are here all thy
ol,iIlraf - frhnn hn lnapIn1 fhIf rho
youngest had been left al home to keep
the sheep. and Samuel said. Send and
fetch him. for we will not sit down
till he come hither" verses SLID
am interested TO know how David
felt that day when left NJ home and
all the other brothers went TO meet
Samuel. for. knowing what we do OF
David, we can easily imagine that he
would be more DESTROYS To meet Sam
uel than any of his brothers would.
even though there might be nothing
especially for him in IL. Some day in
the kingdom we may talk with him
about that particular day. ! never
read or write this story or think about
it that | do not rejoice 10 see the
Lords way In it. The young man left
at home because he was seemingly Of
no account on this great occasion. and
then all the older brothers set aside
and compelled 10 wait till he came.
and then to see Samuel take the horn
of oil and anoint him in the midst of
his brethren.
| think can hear Eliab say To some
of his brothers as they went home
ward. THE old prophet must be in his
dotage" There Is nothing TO IL. for
they did not hear the Lord say TO Sam
uel. Arise. anoint him, for this is he"
oversees -. i3, The comfort | get from
il is tha( the Lord looketh on the
heart. not on the outward appearance.
and when he wants you for any work
He will find you and get you there In
spite Of all obstacles. 1t is ours 10 keep
quietly on minding our sheep. like Da-
vid or Moses: thrashing our wheat,
like Gideon; blowing. like Elisha doing
homework. like Mary Of Nazareth;
mending nets, like Peter and John. or
whatever else is our regular occupa-
ton. The Spirit of the Lord came upon
David. but departed from Saul because
of Saul's failure TO obey Q3, al. God
allows us 10 choose. and if we choose
the evil and not the good we have no
one TO blame but ourselves.
BY the advice of Saurs servants he
sought some one to quiet him when
the evil spirit was upon him. and they
recommended David, the son of Jesse,
as cunning player on the harp. n
valiant man OF war. n prudent man. a
comely man. and they also said that
the Lord was with him verses 1929.
Being sent for. Saul loved him greatly
and made him his armor bearer. How
strange Ii all seems God moves in a
mysterious way What wonderful
chapter How can we refrain from
saying. Lord. take control OF me and
all my affairs and work out i'm and
through mo all thy good pleasure" II