A young Shepard boy is the Old Testament hero in the 2 Books of Samuel and 1 Kings.
The story of King David is one of the most profound in the Bible… right up there with those of Jesus and Moses.
What do you remember about King David?
Most of us would agree that he was one of the greatest leaders.
King David also wrote 73 of the verses in the Book of Psalms, a collection of beautiful poetry and songs that express every human emotion. His writing marvels us with inspiration like Proverbs does with wisdom.
David was an ancestor of Jesus, and while Jesus came and lived the perfect life…
KING DAVID LIVED A LIFE OF EXTREMES…
King David is often remembered for the greater things he accomplished, but he also sinsationally messed up.
The story of King David picks up in 1 Samuel 16…
Samuel was sent to Bethlehem to anoint the next King. It was to be one of Jesse’s sons.
One by one Jesse’s sons were paraded in front of Samuel… and one by one God instructed Samuel to motion for the next…
This left Samuel perplexed…
But the Lord said to Samuel, “DO NOT LOOK AT HIS APPEARANCE OR AT HIS PHYSICAL STATURE, BECAUSE I HAVE REFUSED HIM. FOR THE LORD DOES NOT SEE AS A MAN SEES; FOR MAN LOOKS AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART.” 1 Samuel 16:7
Seven went by and when asked if Jesse had any more sons, David was called in from the fields…
David was being looked over… not even making the line up… like the last kid picked for kickball on the playground… out to pasture tending sheep… he was sent for… and… everyone looked astounded when he was anointed to be the next king.
And what was God looking for?
I think He’s looking for what matters most…
Jesus said “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40
That is what I believe God saw in David’s heart.
Shortly after anointing David we see what he is all about.
Outwardly, David was an unlikely match for Goliath, a formidable foe at 9 feet tall, heavily armored and toting weaponry. Saul and all of the Israelites were terrified of this Goliath… all of them, that is, except for David.
Why was David not afraid?
He reasoned to Saul that he routinely did battle with the lion and the bear in service guarding the flock of sheep and that the Lord delivered him in victory every time. David didn’t know fear as most people do. David’s faith is what saw him through, time and again… and David knew (by faith) that God would deliver him victoriously over this foe named Goliath.
And how did David accomplish this enormous task at hand?
With one stone.
I’m guessing that single stone that David embedded in the forehead of Goliath wasn’t the first stone that he ever whipped with his sling.
And, in reality, David did it with more than that one stone… You see, Goliath had repeatedly defiled the armies of Israel and their, no, OUR God.
David did it with one stone… and with the most powerful weapon of all… he did it with faith and in the name of the Lord Almighty.
King Saul and his army were surprised indeed when David saved the day for Israel.
God showed them how He looks at people… a little differently than we often do. God chose David for what matters most… God chose him for his heart.
As we read on…
1 Samuel 24 is the story of how David overcame evil with good.
Saul, the first King of Israel, set out on a relentless mission to take out David, though David had actually done Saul no wrong.
Saul was simply jealous of David…
for in everything that David did he was successful… for David had God with him.
Saul’s jealously led him to try and kill David, but David was able to elude his aggressor.
One day Saul happened into a cave, within the area known as The Rocks Of The Wild Goats. Saul apparently entered to relieve himself (or so The Bible says), and thus alone, without his men. David and his men just so happened to be deep within the same cave’s innermost recesses. In the darkness David stealthily cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe and, after graciously allowing Saul to leave the cave peacefully, called out to Saul, “why do you listen to the words of men who say, David seeks to do you harm?” And with these words of wisdom, David showed Saul the symbolic skirt of his very robe, and continued with his poignant words “Behold, your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hands in the cave… see the skirt of your robe in my hand! Since I cut off the skirt of your robe and did not kill you, you know and see that there is no evil or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, yet you hunt my life to take it.”
And with that Saul turned away from his sin, and said to David, “you are more upright in God’s eyes than I, for you have repaid me good, but I have rewarded you evil. You have declared today how you have dealt with me; for when the Lord gave me into your hand, you did not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore, may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.”
David was indeed the bigger man…
the kinder, gentler, more loving individual…
and God did indeed make him King of Israel.
For 14 long years David waited… and God followed through!
The 2nd Book of Samuel is the heart and soul of King David’s journey… a journey that is filled with both good and bad… and a journey that is full of FRESH AIR as we see through this one man’s incredible journey the true nature of what God and life are all about.
David was a great King because he viewed God’s agenda as his priority… God’s agenda was bigger than his own. King David led with God’s perfect moral standard for justice… he led God’s people with God’s principles. He was a leader with compassion and significant influence. Like so many great leaders of our time will tell you, any time you raise your head about the crowd you’re a target for persecution… and, as we’ve just seen through King Saul’s jealousy, that was very true in David’s time too.
While David was a great leader, he struggled personally…
David was human…
He made mistakes…
He committed sins…
His sins included adultery with Bathsheba, arranging for the murder of Bathsheba’s husband, and having “feet of clay” in neglecting his responsibilities as a father.
He was far from perfect and clearly not above the temptations and ways of this world…
moreover, whenever David sinned, he confessed his sins…
faced the consequences…
and repented…
and we see God’s mercy and grace…
God forgave him…
“For God’s eyes are upon the ways of man, and He sees all his steps.” Job 34:21
and David grew through the experience.
God referred to King David as “a man after my own heart” Acts 13:22
The story of King David in it’s entirety is relevant even to our day and age. God showed us how He looks at people… a little differently than we often do. God chose David for what matters most… God chose him for his heart… and that’s why I chose David to write about today, for the “Fresh Air” theme of our Christian Writers Blog Chain.
David’s story gives us a breath of Fresh Air.
We’re given the example of an ordinary man…
who lived a life of extremes.
One ruddy boy…
one stone…
one King…
one Book…
one sinsational story…
and one heart!
Was David perfect?
Not so.
Are we?
I’m writing today as a contributor to the Christian Writers Blog Chain. Our theme for this month is “Fresh Air.” Christianwriters.com is an excellent place to network if you’re a Christian writer or author.
Christian Writers Blog Chain
Loved this, Chris. Ya gotta love David’s humanity. He was a very real person and a fantastic example to us that even when we go too far, God is there to pick us up, give us a whack upside the head and send us on our way again, holding onto Jesus’ hand a little tighter this time.
Carol, your summary made me giggle, Thank you!
Your post was beautiful! It showed the ways of God and the ways of man. David is a wonderful example of what God can do in a humble person, who truly loves God with all their, heart, mind, soul and spirit. King David was the greatest monarch of Israel and his spirit still impacts them today. But more than that, the linage of Jesus-the King of Kings. He probably never knew how the Lord planned to honor him, which continues to this day. We all have that same opportunity for our lives, when we give them to Jesus. Thank you
Thanks Terrie for stopping by and sharing your thoughts here, I really appreciate you!!
Good post. David has always been a bit of a contradiction to me. He was definitely human and flawed, yet he was a man after God’s heart. I think this tells us more about God than David. I’ve always found it amazing how Jesus seemed not to have been terribly bothered by sin. Take the woman caught in adultery, for example. His attitude was just don’t do it again.
Peace and Blessings
Thanks E G !!
Nice summary of David’s life. Thanks for sharing!
It is super cool how ‘ordinary’ David was, and yet how EXTRAORDINARY, too. It is what we all can be, with God’s help – ordinary people doing something extraordinary for God. The fact that he was an ‘outdoorsman’ was a clever way of tying it to the theme, too. Good job!
I think when you dive into his story it helps us ordinary people relate to him and to God, for sure. Be Great Tracy!!
Thanks for your “fresh thoughts” on David’s life and his ups and downs.
Thank you too Chris
It’s funny Chris, I was writing about David just this morning. You have written about some similar themes but have gone into much more detail. Well done. This is a great examination of David’s life. I enjoyed reading it. What a person of faith he was – particularly when he faced Goliath.
Thanks Adam, you’re half way around the world and writing about the same stuff, a testimony in itself that His message has reached to the ends of the earth… how cool is that !!!
Great post, Chris. David has always been one of my favorite biblical examples of how a very imperfect human being can still have a heart fully committed to following God.
Thank you Traci !!
Great post, Chris! The story of David has always been one of my favorites. So many lessons intertwined into this great, yet very human, life. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Thanks Sarah, this one turned out to be really long and I still edited out a lot of material… maybe something left for another time
Excellent summary of David’s life. This made me think of Psalm 23 and how David writes that the Lord is his shepherd. A shepherd needing a shepherd!
that’s a neat thought, thanks Michael !!
I’m with the others, Chris. Great post! And I’ve always loved David. I think he may be my favorite character. Thanks! Blessings to you!
He’s definitely my favorite!! Thank you Lynn.
Chris, I thoroughly enjoyed this! The story of David is indeed a story of God’s “Fresh Air” blowing through an ordinary life, an ordinary man whose heart beat in time with God’s, who recognized his sin (sometimes with a little help) and who did what it took to get right with God. And isn’t that what we’re all called to do — your question at the end? We’re not called to be perfect people, just different, holy — set apart for God. Blessings to you!
I am so inspired by David’s story Cindee, thank you for sharing here!
David is an anchor in the center of the Old Testament. In a long story of struggle and loss, victories followed by withering defeats, David’s is somehow the most human, relatable story of the bunch. We want to aspire to his heights–but we’re also made aware of how far we can fall when we get there, even if the journey was by God’s hand.
Thanks for your “fresh air” reminder of an epic tale, Chris.
Thanks Scott, you’re always so very poetic, love it -)
Fun way of telling and digging into a familiar story! Great stuff
Sweet! Thank you David for stopping by and sharing here!