What is so special about him?
(Read Psalm 62)
Some of the most impressive and lasting revelations from my SBS were some that came out of my studies on the character of Saul and David. They are both handsome, both anointed and chosen to be king by God and still one is “successful” and the other one isn’t. Obviously life is not at all about being successful in human eyes. But David is a man after God’s own heart, while Saul gets rejected by God at some point, and his reign over Israel doesn’t bear that much fruit, either.
There are many things I discovered about David that really contrast him to Saul - for example the way he leads. Saul looks at a battle, and all he wants to do is win. So he forces his people to give everything up for that, he lets them suffer and forces them to fast even when they don’t have any strength, etc. And then you look over to David, who has an army of the outcasts, and he prioritizes their rest, he prioritizes their well being (this does not mean we shouldn’t challenge people, though ;). He knows how to be a good shepherd. There is so much we can learn from David about good leadership, good shepherding, loving people well, etc.
But, the thing that continuously sets him apart from so many other leaders is his trust in God and where he goes when he is in trouble. Not even only when he is in trouble. But David is just so real with where he is at with God. He shows his ugly sides to God, he goes to him in anxiety, he just waits before him when he doesn’t know anything yet, he asks him boldly for the big things, and he has this intimate relationship with him.
That relationship with God didn’t come overnight. God never asked David to just put on a fake faith, but he walked with David faithfully, and David walked faithfully with God. It took David time and experiences to see who God really is, over and over again. And David asks him over and over again anew to reveal himself, to show up, and to speak to him.
It is insane to me that David waited about 20 years to become king even after he got anointed as king by Samuel. There are so many times when he could have doubted everything and just stopped pursuing God’s plan. There were times when David could kill Saul, and take the fulfillment of God’s plan into his own hands. There were times when he could have given up on his own values and faithfulness, but he did not (at least most of the time, we all know about his shortcomings). There were many times when he could have started to become a people pleaser instead of freely worshipping God, no matter the cost.
I am not saying - if we all just spend enough time with God we will all be like David.
No - you are not supposed to be like David. You are supposed to be yourself. And I can’t tell you how excited I am about the fact that you are your own part in the body of Christ.
But I want to encourage you to continue to bring your questions, your thoughts and doubts before Jesus.
Allow him to be himself with you in the mundane day to day.
Allow him to tell you about his faithfulness in the times when you’re doubting.
Allow him to see your shame and let him heal it.
Allow him to see your anger and let him show you what justice looks like to him.
Allow him to carry your burdens when they seem too heavy to you.
Trust him in the seasons.
Trust him with where you’re at right now.
Nothing is too big for him to handle.
He is so faithful.
- Priscilla
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