Saul said to David, "You cannot go and fight the Philistine [Goliath]; you are only a boy and he has been a warrior since his youth." David said to Saul, "Your servant used to look after the sheep for his father and whenever a lion or bear came and took a sheep from the flock, I used to follow it up, lay into it and snatch the sheep out of its jaws. If it would turn on me, I would seize it by the beard, and batter it to death."1 Samuel 17: 33-35 David knew he was to be the anointed King of Israel, yet he was still a working as a shepard boy. While working, he wasn't sitting around complaining about not taking command yet, he wasn't sitting around day-dreaming about what it was going to be like and planning how he was to carry out the mission. No, he was working as a successful shepard boy.
Wherever we are today, God has equipped us for the moment. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. Luke 16:10 I like how Priscilla put it; telling us we need to keep in mind that God may simply want to "adjust your life and character in smaller assignment to prepare us for the larger ones." (Taken from Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God)
David took his commitment to God seriously. He was the best shepard he could be; it prepared him for what was yet to come. David was asked to be the delivery boy, to take supplies to his brothers on the battle field. His experience as a shepard, fighting off lions and bears, prepared him to face Goliath. I have to admit, reading this brought me to a point of repentance. I have missed the point when I complain about where I am, I could have been preparing and learning but chose to whine instead. (Uggghhhhhh)
As we read in today's lesson, David was no less anointed as a shepard boy than he was as acting King. That was a huge "ahh-haa" for me. I need to rely on God, His Spirit, to empower me to handle what I have to do today and ask him to help me clearly see the vision of His plan.
Last week, someone mentioned that the questions in this study were personal. Yes, they really are. I am thankful that this study has spoken to me. What have you gleamed from today's portion?
1 comment:
To me this lesson has hit a lot on character. When God sent Samuel to anoint David, Samuel was looking at the natural. God was looking at the character of the heart. David was faithful to obey whatever those (who he believed God had placed in authority over him) asked him to do. Whether being a responsible shepherd, a delivery boy, or a armour bearer to the king. He carried out his job as if he was doing it for his God.
Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
I believe that God brings tests into our lives to develop and grow our character. Look at a couple of other examples the bible gives....Joseph and Moses. Joseph had a dream in which his family bowed down to him long before he was the second in charge of Egypt. He went through many tests of his character before he reached the position God had prepared for him. Moses was feeling he was a leader of the Hebrews when he killed the Egyptian guard who was beating a Hebrew slave. Then tried to act as a judge between two others who had a disagreement, but it took forty years tending his father-in-laws sheep on the back side of the Midian desert before he was ready to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt.
Many times our character is not mature enough to handle what God has purposed us to do. So He grows us and tests us to see if we will be faithful in whatever He asks of us today. That is what I want to do, just be faithful in whatever God asks of me today.
I think the more we study about David the more God reveals to me about how is He working in my life.
Post a Comment