1 Samuel 16:1

1 Samuel 16:1 says, 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 Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.  God then asked Samuel how long he was going to mourn for Saul, since He had rejected him.  If God has rejected a leader today, we don't need to continue to mourn about losing them.  God then told Samuel to go to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse, because He had chosen one of his sons to be the new king.  God will never leave Himself without leaders in the church today, as long as we as followers of Christ are willing to listen to Him.  Verse two adds, And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.  Samuel questioned God, asking how he could go, since Saul would kill him if he tried to.  God instructed Samuel to take a heifer and tell Saul that he was going to make a sacrifice to God.  This was not a lie, since it was a part of Samuel anointing David to be king.  When God is guiding us to do something, we don't necessarily have to tell people everything that is involved in what we are doing.  We simply have to obey and do it and leave the rest up to God.  We might think Samuel would have had enough faith in God to just do as God directed him to do, but sometimes even people of faith will have moments of doubt.  Verse three continues, And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.  God then instructed Samuel to invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and then God would show him who to anoint.   Samuel had to put aside his fears and act on God's instructions, and so must we today.  This is especially true when we feel uneasy or even afraid to do what God is calling us to do, I believe.   We must put our faith into action no matter what.  Verse four states, And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?  When Samuel came to Bethlehem, the elders were afraid and asked him if he came in peace.  The elders were afraid because they feared that Samuel had come to announce a curse against them, which would indicate that there might have been something that they were doing that they knew was wrong.  As long as we remain obedient to God, we have no reason to fear His judgment of our actions.  Verse five adds, And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.  Samuel told them that he came to offer a sacrifice to the LORD and invited them to come.  Samuel also sanctified Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice.  Though his specific purpose was to anoint one of Jesse's son as king, all the elders were invited to the sacrifice.  Even in worship services for a specific purpose, all Christians should be welcomed to attend, and so should lost people.  Everyone should always be welcome at God's house and at services where we worship Him.