I love the story of King David and am currently doing research that will provide material for two books that I want to write about him. He is a fascinating figure to me in many ways. The Bible portrays him in such an ordinary way and yet he is a study in contrasts. He is called beloved by God, and yet he appears to me to be often filled with pride, and he often is nothing less than barbaric in his actions. He often lies, he is a ladies man, he dances with little, to no modesty and yet he still is beloved by God. There are no miracles associated with his story and yet there is more written about him that any other human in the Scripture.
As I was studying yesterday in I Samuel 23-24 I saw a man that was being chased through the wilderness by an irate King Saul. He was being hunted like a wild animal. And yet through it all David showed great respect towards the King and when opportunity arose to kill him, he chose not too, deciding to leave that in the Lord's hands. In Psalm 57 we see David seeking out God in the midst of this difficulty. He is praising God for deliverance and for safety that still has not been evidenced. His faith is high - He is on a mountaintop of spiritual experience. He's got it together!
And then comes the next day - chapter 25. David, and his men, were known to help people as they went along and so they stopped at Nabal's, whom they had helped, and asked for some food, as the men were extremely hungry. Nabal said no. A light went on in David's head and suddenly he was full of himself and the things that he and his men had done for Nabal and others. Pride overcame him, and then anger, and he sought to gather the men to go and kill Nabal and presumably those with him. Nice Godly guy right? Thankfully Nabal's beautiful wife stepped in between and prevented the bloodshed and David had a change of heart (he fell in love immediately with this married lady and would later marry her).
Like I said, I love the story of David. I see my story within his. I don't have to wonder - I know - how often I will feel like I am close to my Creator and then I will turn around and do something really stupid the next minute. Simply put, it's kind of like walking out of a praise filled worship service only to yell obscenities at the little old lady that just cut me off! Ever done that?!
What encourages me about David's story, and thus my own, is that David was honestly seeking God with all of his heart. And yet he kept screwing up, and yet he kept coming back and this is important....and yet he was still loved by God. I can beat myself up all that I want when I screw up, but it is comforting for me personally to know that I keep coming back and He does not look down on me or hate me in any way. He loves me as I am and usually gently keeps bringing me back. He is loving and compassionate. He is gracious and has so much patience. One can not escape the love and compassion of God.
Grace, forgiveness, compassion and love - all available if I will just stop and turn back. All free. I feel completely inadequate and undeserving. No one had ever been able to love me in such a way and yet there He is, waiting.
No comments:
Post a Comment