Randi Short
Read about the life of David: 1 Samuel 16, through 2 Samuel to his death in 1 Kings 2. Amazing Character!!
I absolutely love the story of David. David, commits murder, adultery, is vicious, cruel, bloody, and emotionally unstable, but God chooses him from the start in 1 Samuel 16:1, as King over Israel.
With all that David done in his life, he was still considered a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). Why with the sin in his life and his lack of faith, was David considered a man after God?
One reason I believe is because ths ough he sinned, he realized that he sinned. Take Saul (king before David). When Saul sinned and God placed His finger on Saul’s life, pointing the sin out; what did Saul do? He would justify himself. He wouldn’t admit the sin and he would go around looking for a way out of what he done wrong. David on the other hand openly admitted his sin when it was pointed out. When Nathan went to David after Bathsheba and Uriah, for example, and said, “You are the man,” David said, “You’re right, I am. I have sinned.” No more argument. That was it. What was God’s very next word? Now David had sinned in violation of the law against adultery which meant he should have been stoned. He committed premeditated murder which meant he should have been stoned. He practiced hypocrisy for a good year and a half which meant he should have been stoned, but what did God say the moment David said, “You’re right. I have sinned.” And then God said – you won’t die, your sin is forgiven. David didn’t look for a way to justify what he done wrong, he just asked for forgiveness.
Another thing we can see through David is his courage and faith in God. I know in the last point I mentioned that David had a lack of faith in some instances. And he did. 1 Samuel 21:12-13 tells us of a time that David lacked faith. But David’s faith in God shows through in many other times throughout scripture. What about when David got up before the Israelite army and fought Goliath, killing him with only a sling and stone? David gets up and yells at the giant giving the battle over to the Lord. It’s amazing the faith that David has, knowing that God can do all things! David picked up five stones and only had to use one to defeat the giant.
One other thing that I absolutely love about David’s life is when he was anointed as king. The first thing we learn about David in chapter 16 verse one, is that David was chosen by God as King over Israel. David was not included by his father or brothers, and is the youngest. He is only a shepherd boy, probably around the age of 13. But God has great plans for him. The thing is though, once David is anointed, there is a time that he is not king. He is chosen by God, but then he goes back out as Shepherd boy, and then eventually he is taken by Saul and David is asked to play his harp for Saul. David, who is anointed as King, is playing harp for the king. C’mon now. How would you feel? You’re told you are going to be this big somebody, but nothing comes out of it. You sit around for years thinking, “maybe tomorrow,” but tomorrow comes and goes and nothing happens. David must’ve been driven nuts knowing that there was something more out there for him, that he was called by God to be someone great.
These are just three aspects of this teenager that I absolutely love. Now that we’ve looked at it – what can we learn from it?
One thing I believe is that God is holy and he cannot excuse sin. His holiness cannot excuse our lack thereof. Therefore, when we sin we should come before God and openly and honestly confess our sins. We shouldn’t make up excuses for our sins but we should openly admit them and ask for forgiveness.
Secondly, we have to have unshakeable faith in God. I know sometimes our faith fails as did David’s, but we have to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God wants us to defeat our giants. When we come up against something in our lives that seems so tall, so big, so GIANT; yell at it, give it over to God, and then fight. The battle is the Lords! Have an unshakeable faith in God, knowing that He CAN do something about what’s going on in your life.
And lastly, I know there are those who will read this who are thinking to yourself, “God has called me to do something amazing but when will it happen?!”God knows what He is up to – believe it or not. If you feel like David, anxious to see what God has spoken into your life – fulfilled. Just wait upon Him. His time is not our time and it will come to pass. Seek His face, not His hand and He’ll show you which steps to make for what He has chosen for your life to be fulfilled.
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