Living Close to God's Heart

 Past

 David's difficult childhood

 Kept in the background

 Despised occupation

 Lonely job

 Hard life

 David drew closer to God through his work

 The Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23)

 God calls people where they are to find Him in their everyday lives

 God's time of preparation

 Present

 David's anointing was public declaration of God's work in his heart in private

 Family failed to recognise it

 Even later they still failed

 Eliab is angry with David: When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle." (1 Samuel 17:28)

 Holy Spirit came to David

 … from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power (1 Samuel 16:13)

 Present is God's time of action

 Future

 David was anointed but he was not yet crowned king

 David had to wait God's time

 Time of preparation and testing

 He continued his ordinary job

 We have been anointed but we still await our crowns

 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)

 We have been promised the Kingdom of God

 We have to wait God's time

 Time of preparation and testing

 Continue with our daily lives

 Future is God's time of fulfilment

 He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

 Trust God - trust God's timing