And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then Jesse said “There remains yet the youngest and there he is, keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” 1 Samuel 16:11
It is a new year, there are things we must let go of from the old season and new things and places we are called to walk in this season or chapter in our life. Isaiah 43:19 God promised “Behold I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth.” At the beginning of each year we are always excited that God is going to do a new thing in our lives. If we are not careful, we will walk away from someone or something because we have grown weary in the battle or we will hold on to things that are no longer beneficial to the new season. In I Samuel 16 God told Samuel he was holding on to things that were no longer part of His plan for Israel. Saul had disobeyed God and did not kill all the Amalekites, instead he spared King Agag and the choicest animals and they took the spoils as trophies. We forget that partial obedience is still disobedience. Because Saul did not fully obey God, God rejected him as King of Israel. Even though Samuel never went to see Saul again, it grieved him that God rejected Saul. God was done with a stiff neck leader that would not obey, but He still had great plans for Israel. God told Samuel, it was time to get up and dust the dirt off his robe and go on (not really, I am just putting it into West Texas language). God did tell Samuel to fill his horn with oil and go to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem, because the King God wanted for Israel was one of Jesse’s sons. God gave Samuel clear instructions of how to open the door for a new king to be anointed without raising the suspicion of the rejected king. When Samuel arrived in Bethlehem, the town was concerned until Samuel told them he was there to offer a sacrifice, He specifically invited Jesse and his seven sons to the sacrifice. Samuel watched each of Jesse’s sons, and looked intently at them, only to hear God say “no” this is not the one. One by one each of the boys were inspected and when Samuel thought they would be God’s choice; God rejected them. Finally, all seven of Jesse’s sons had gone before Samuel and each time God said no. I wonder if Samuel wondered how that could be since God told him the next king of Israel was going to be one of Jesse’s sons. It dawned on Samuel that there had to be at least one more son that had not been invited to the sacrifice, so he asked Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Jesse confirmed that the youngest son was out tending the sheep and was not even valued enough to get an invitation to the sacrifice. “And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes.” God confirmed His word and told Samuel “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” So Samuel took the horn and anointed him in the midst of his enemies, I mean his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.”1 Samuel 16:12b-13a. God had chosen David to be king, not because of his height or muscles, but because of his heart. Later God called David, a man after His own heart. Samuel was the road block God used to save David’s seat for him, he refused to move forward with the meal until David, God’s chosen arrived. The Spirit of the Lord never left David from that day forward.
This year of 2026 is the year of the open door. In John 10 Jesus said, “I am the door to the sheep.” In Bible times the shepherds had a fence made of stone that they would take the sheep to every night to protect them so they could rest. After his sheep were safe in the fold, the shepherd would lay down physically in the entrance of the sheepfold. It was not only an empty statement that to get to the sheep, you had to go through the shepherd. It was literal, the only way into the sheep fold was through the gate and the shepherd laid down his life physically each night to protect his sheep. In the year of the door, we need the choices and places we go to be governed by Jesus, we do not need to start a new ministry, a new job, or a new chapter in our life without going in prayer to Jesus. When we allow Jesus to open doors for us, we have the promise that He will go before us. John 10:4 “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” What a blessing for Jesus to open doors for us! But He does not stop with an open door, he goes before them and talks to them on the journey. I know that there are some reading this that Jesus has already opened a new door for you and it can be a little daunting to go into a bigger room or a place you have never had access to before. David understood this, as a young boy, he was anointed to be King of Israel. God does not open doors for you and then leave you floundering, He uses everything that you have experienced to train you to be successful in the place He has opened up for you. After David was anointed, he was sent back to the sheep. During those isolated times, he learned to worship God and when you worship God, He shows up. David developed a relationship with God that help him in his new calling. His worship was so powerful that it caused tormenting spirits to leave when he played. He learned to fight, he killed the lion and the bear and when he was faced with a giant, he knew who he was in God and had confidence he could take Goliath down as well. The years that you feel like were wasted and that you missed God, perhaps God was using the isolation and loneliness to teach you how to lean on Him and how to use the gifts and talents He has given you. When David’s training was complete, he was able to say. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name sake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” David remembered a time when he was not invited to the sacrifice and in midst of the men who ignored and excluded him, God saved him a place at the table and made them watch as he was anointed for one of the most prestigious positions. God does not call the most talented person in the room; He calls those He can anoint and equip for the job He designed for them. The enemy wants to convince you that you missed God and your open door closed a long time ago. The devil is a liar! Most theologians believe that it was 14-15 years after he was anointed that he became king. There is no expiration on your call. “For the gifts and the callings of God are irrevocable.” Sometimes the door God opens for those gifts and callings can be a long time coming. Sister Fielding’s husband did not want her to fly. She submitted to his wishes and after he died, she started going on mission trips to the jails in Mexico and winning hardened criminals to the Lord. Some of the dreams and callings have been delayed, but they are not over.
A door works both ways, it opens and lets people in and it also closes and keeps unwanted things out. When we are walking with God, and approach a new door to a new room, we have to let the door from the room we were in close. Revelation 3:7 “These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one opens.” I believe there are things in your life recently that have not made any sense, God has been shutting some doors so He can take you to a new place through a different open door.
I just want to remind of you as you walk into a new season in 2026 that the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord. Just like Samuel held up the celebration until the chosen one arrived, God is holding a door for you. God has a job or position for you and He is holding it for you to arrive. Follow Jesus and listen to His voice and you will arrive at the door at the appointed time. Jeremiah 29:11 promises that God knows the plans He has for us. I like how Ephesians 3:6 says, “He raised up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” You have a seat reserved for you at His table. Just like David was given a seat in the presence of his enemies, the people who have tried to keep you from entering into some rooms, will have to watch as you are seated at the table of God. They are unable to shut the doors God has opened for you and they cannot break out of the shut Doors God has put between ya’ll. He has set befre you an open door! Will you walk into it?
Cathy Nesmith