So Samuel took the horn of oil, anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord took control of David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah. 1 Samuel 16:13 HCSB
One of the special times in my life was when I was ordained to the Gospel Ministry. Ordination is a way of recognizing that a person has been called to special service to the Lord. The candidate for ordination is questioned by an ordination council made up of deacons and ministers about his salvation experience, his call to ministry, and his beliefs. The council makes a recommendation to the church to ordain the candidate. Once the person is approved by the church for ordination, a special ordination service is planned when the deacons and ministers lay hands on the candidate’s head and pray for him. A person is selected by the candidate to preach the ordination sermon. My father, who was a minister, was the person I selected to preach my ordination service sermon.
Samuel anointed David with oil as a way of setting him apart for special service to the Lord. The anointing of oil usually stood for holiness. It was used to set people or objects apart for God’s service. Each king and high priest of Israel was anointed with oil. This act commissioned David as the next king of Israel, but it was done in secret. Saul was still the king while God was preparing David for his future responsibilities. David would later be publicly anointed as the king of Israel.
Challenge: Pray for those who serve your church as ministers. They have numerous responsibilities that often go unappreciated. Ministers frequently hear complaints from church members but seldom hear very many compliments. They do not serve for compliments or words of praise, but it is always a blessing to know they are appreciated. Send your minister a note of thanks and encouragement today.