Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Samuel 16:1, 13-14

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Samuel 16:1, 13-14

"And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him."

The Lord rejected Saul. I like how this first verse shows the Lord's timing. David was already born and ready when he was needed. The spirit confirms to Saul that David is to be the anointed king. After David is anointed the spirit withdraws from Saul. It reminds me of the mantle that comes with callings. How when that calling is over that mantle is gone. The increase of the spirit that helps us fulfill our calling being gone is one thing, but with Saul something far worse has taken place. In this last verse it's import to read the footnote. When is says "an evil spirit from the Lord", the footnote to the Joseph Smith translation says "..which was not of the Lord.." This same phrase is used four more times in this chapter, and corrected each time. The point being God will never send us an evil spirit. What he does do is withdraw his spirit from us. Then we are opened to receiving evil spirit when they come. You do not want the spirit to be withdrawn from you. Living our lives in a manner worthy to receive the spirit, and by renewing our baptismal covenants by taking the sacrament, needs to be done consistently.

Day 2411