The themes we find in today’s readings are, anointing, empowerment and belief vs presumption.

The Lord God who anointed – appointed Saul as King, has rejected him, yet, he continues to be King. God has not yet seen fit that Saul should be dethroned. David on the other hand, God has anointed David to be king, has not yet appointed him, only confirmed that David should succeed Saul. Here in lies the lesson of belief versus presumption. Many of us today, looking at things around, see how we are going wrong – wholesale. We want to bring change, and we want to unseat the wrong doers and wrong processes. We even see God empowering us with knowledge and strength. But we forget, or are mislead. Has God given us time and place to do the change, or is he only preparing us for the time and place. In our presumption we are working against God’s Will, and hence presume wrongly how the change is to be brought about.

Wisdom, for me is the gift not granted, but attained. He may be granted/gifted worldly wisdom (Solomon), but true wisdom is at the feet of God (Samuel, Jesus). This is on display in the quarrel/disagreement between David and his followers in today’s reading. They presume, since Saul is available to be killed, and in their power to overpower in the cave, God has brought this about, and they need to take advantage of it. David differs, for He is someone who sits at God’s feet, and to learn from Him (proof is the number of Psalms, David has written).

Jesus (Gospel Reading), in the great tradition of the Wise Men of the Old Testament, Moses, Samuel, David, takes timeout and sits at God’s feet, before appointing His Successors…