Well, here I am again. I don't know if you've experienced any of what I wrote about the last time. I know that it has stumped me many times but over the past few months (this entry has been in the draft pile a while now) I think I've found my answer in the life of David. It occurs to me that he probably went through some of this. On the one hand he was the young shepherd from the small family who, by all outlook, was destined for a simple life with not much expected of him. On the other, David would become Israel's greatest king, and one of Israel's most pronounced leaders; the farm boy and the hero.
That day, before the prophet came, I expect that although he knew his place in life, he dreamed big dreams for Israel and for himself, and something in him longed for more than just the farm. At the same time though, I think overall there was a large place of contentment in his life where he was satisfied with just being out in the open, knowing God. Of course, things would happen which would lead to God calling him out as a king, and through many trials and situations he would see some of those dreams and desires become reality as he became a hero of Israel. As that happened and David was leading Israel in victories, when he was charging the battlefields and knew he was leading them rightly - that he was able to hold the responsibility - I think he felt good. I think he felt like 'himself', and that he felt as though he was indeed a king. That he dreamed the dreams of kings, and was proud and satisfied to walk that line, to carry that mantle. That there was a part of him that wouldn't be satisfied if he thought he wasn't doing everything he knew he was able to do, that God had enabled him to do, or perhaps made him for. He felt that maybe he was the man for the hour, God's choice, though he did not understand it.
I wonder though, when the battles were done and he returned to life in the caves or in the palace, if there weren't times when he sat quietly, just getting alone by himself and perhaps wishing that he was able to just to drop all the expectations that were being placed on him and return to an open future in the open fields, with God. I wonder what David thought and felt at those times when he needed either to hold on or let go. How is he supposed to behave? When is too much, too much? When do you hold on to the responsibility, and when do you let go? When do you presume, and when is it alright to relax and just 'be'?
"Who am I, O Sovereign LORD , and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign LORD , you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant. Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign LORD ?
20 "What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign LORD . 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.
22 "How great you are, O Sovereign LORD ! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel-the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, O LORD , have become their God.
25 "And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name will be great forever. Then men will say, 'The LORD Almighty is God over Israel!' And the house of your servant David will be established before you.
27 "O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, 'I will build a house for you.' So your servant has found courage to offer you this prayer. 28 O Sovereign LORD , you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O Sovereign LORD , have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever."
Amen.
David was a man who loved his God, but also saw His God as sovereign and taught himself to let God be God; God who makes His plans and fulfills His almighty will within the Earth. David sought to walk closely with God, and when God's plans came to David, he learned to be obedient and to be content in what lot God apportioned him. Farmer or hero, he rejoiced in the plans of His God, and wherever those plans took Him he sought to worship God in the fullest.
That passage from Samuel has been of much encouragement to me and contains so much that I'd encourage you to read it again and spend some time meditating on it. If I may, I'd like to break it down.
"Who am I, O Sovereign LORD , and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?"
God's choices and plans are not necessarily affected by who a man is, or at least, who he thinks he is. David sees a difference between who he is and what God has done with/for him.
"And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign LORD , you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant. Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign LORD ?"Rewards for faithful service aside, God is concerned only with his own plans and not the plans of men. He may rule arbitrarily and apparently 'unequally', at least in the eyes of men. Therefore His plans may not make sense or could be other than what we expect.
"What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign LORD . 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant."The heart of David is that of a servant, who serves God because it is right and what is proper not because of what he expects from God. The master may assign to his servant any task or role he wishes and may furnish the servant with as much or as little resources as he sees fit. The master and his will are central, the servant is ancillary.
"How great you are, O Sovereign LORD ! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel-the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, O LORD , have become their God."David sees himself in the wider perspective of the plans of God and sees God also from that perspective. God has plans and is working out those plans. Israel has been honoured by God's choice to be His instrument and receive His blessing. Just as God has chosen Israel from among the nations of the world and chosen to bless them, for His own purposes and according to His own wisdom, so too does David see God choosing Him.
"And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name will be great forever. Then men will say, 'The LORD Almighty is God over Israel!' And the house of your servant David will be established before you."David is accepting of the role God has given him and the plans he has prepared for him. David continues to take the attitude of a grateful and worshipful servant, maintaining his focus upon the greatness of his master and the centrality of His plans and glory. What God chooses to further His plans and bring success, David trusts His wisdom and choice.
"O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, 'I will build a house for you.' So your servant has found courage to offer you this prayer. 28 O Sovereign LORD , you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O Sovereign LORD , have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever."
Finally, and interestingly, David in joy of God's blessing and choice, and confidence in God's goodness and love as a father, is moved to affirm God's promises to him and asks what in some way might be considered a selfish prayer. He asks for God's blessing upon himself and his family into eternity, taking joy in it. Yet throughout, he retains a tone which suggests that should God offer him any less, he would still love God and be pleased to serve Him.
David knows himself and does not presume to be anything more than a man, and a shepherd. To be more, a hero, is a dream and a blessing, and he is joyful to receive it but never retains it to the point that he would not give it up if recalled. He is ultimately a servant, doing his part before God, the part assigned to him by his Lord. Farm boy or hero, David knows that all things, all abilities, all resources lie with his father, his Lord, and He distributes them as He sees fit. His task is to follow his master's duties and take joy in whatever that may be. Hero or farmer, David knows he would be much less still should not God be his provider.
David's words here instruct the would be grateful servants: Live according to God's ways. Walk closely with Him and always keep an ear open to Him. Do not predict God's plans but walk graciously in them as they are revealed.
Thank you Father.
I hope this has been of use and a blessing, in the skies or on the farm, I'll see you around. :)
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