Friday, November 19, 2010

David

This week we finished our study on the life of King David.
David is an imteresting figure of the bible. He had a remarkable life. He started out as a simple shepard tending his fathers flocks playing a harp when he was first chosen by God to become king of a great nation.  His was a  simple heart full of love for his God and duty to his people.
He had to suffer many trials and suffering to fulfill the destiny to which he was called. His first trial of his faith came when he willingly chose to stand before all Isreal to chalenge the giant Philistein Goliath . Before Sauls great army  David stood before Goliath armed only with his slipshot and few well choosen stones. His only army was a prayer on his lips to defeat the giant who dared to mock God.
Faith, devotion, and love saw David bring down a giant before his peolpe. Truist in a higher power saved him and guided him all his life. But still he was a man. A man with all the weaknesses of all people during our lifetimes.
King Saul became Davids father-in-law best friend to his son Jonathan. A friendship that lasted the test of time. The longest most enduring friendship.  Jonathan didn't care for the thrown of Isreal. He realised early on that David had been choosen by God to succeed his father. He loved as his own soul. A friendship that brought them closer than brothers.
Jomathan didn't agree with his father pusuing David through the long years across the desert lands. But a dutiful son followed his father. Where David loved his God and followed him unto the end of his life. Saul turned his back on God. God regretted having made Saul king because he no longer walked with God.
What a bitter end came of his life.
God allowed and evil spirit to enter into Saul which guilded him the rest of his life. God only allowed this to happen because Saul made a concsious decision to no longer follow the will of God or listen  to his devine will for his service as the king of Gods chosen people.  His end came in battle after consulting with the witch of Endor.
That is never a wise choice. Once we make that final choice to walk away from God deny his love and fellowship to be part of us we have then left ourselves open to the winds of fate to claim us and take from all things that matter. Saul couldn't beare the loss of his sons in battle before him. And since no other sword in battle could pierce his armor Saul then resorted to the only thing he had left. He took his own life by falling on his own sword.
The main focus of the study this week was not of David and Saul. But of David and one of Sauls soldiers. Joab. A ruthless man who cared not for God or love of King and country. But for self, Which lead to betrayal.
David was stilll a man with all our shortcomings, so his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband and dedicated servent Uriah started David's life on it's ultimate downfall. Though God had forgiven David of his sin. God had set in motion events that would later play out to betrayal and murder within his own house.
Joab seeking only what was best for himself failed to awknowledge that he didn't know what was best. He sought only self interest glory and praise. What he got in the end was his own death at the word of Soloman. David's son and God's chosen heir to the thrown.
The price for rejecting God is high. God forgives us of all our sins. There is no sin that God will not forgive as long as we seek him with an open and repentant heart. His grace will cover a multitude of sins.
The only sin God cannot forgive is the sin of turning away his holy spirit. When we choose to openly deny God we greive away his love. His longing to welcome us back into his loving and gracious presnce. We seperate ourselves from God then there is nothing he can do for us. The winds of fate will be free to set upon the most greivous of all things the devil desires to thrust upon us.
So many lives are lost when they choose to walk away from God and his loving and forgiving spirit.
No life is ever a perfect row to hoe. But in Gods hands we find the much easier to bare because we are not walking the streets alone. God promised to walk with us. At our side throught the fires of strife. The wieght never sets up a permenant wall before us. God takes so much upon himself for us that we truly are blessed to know just how much love it has taken for us to stand at the feet of God.

Blogged with Flock