"Don't Be Premature"

Based on I Kings 16

How often God makes us a promise, and we know that He has “anointed” us to fulfill a certain role.  We automatically and excitedly look for our shiny new promise to come to pass!  We know, we’ll begin to see the affects of this word from the Lord materialize any day now!

 

Well, you can imagine how David felt after being quickly summoned from his humble shepherding job into the house with his well-dressed father and brothers, and especially in the presence of the most notable, Prophet Samuel!  He must have been so shocked to find out that he would be the new king of Israel!  He was still a youth, after all!  In I Samuel 16:13, the Bible states, “and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.”

 

Can you imagine how often David wondered “how in the world he would ever become king”, especially since, as far as he knew, the reigning king was alive and in good health.

 

At this time, the Spirit of God had recently departed from King Saul.  He was filled with an evil spirit from the Lord.  It was suggested to him that a man who played skillfully on the lyre be found to soothe him when he was tormented.  King Saul agreed, and one of the servants told him about David.

 

Wow!  It would be easy to hear David’s thoughts at this point.  He, the newly anointed king, was summoned by King Saul to come to the palace and play his lyre.  Well, things only get better at first.  Not only did David play for him, but King Saul liked him so well, he made him his armor bearer!  He even sent to Jesse to let him know that David pleased him!

 

If King David is like most of us, we would begin to see all of these events as God’s easy street right into the kingship!  We would think that King Saul’s favor meant that he would just pat David on the back and say “son, you are such a wonderful young man, I want you to be king when I die”.  Can’t you see the tearful scene in your mind?  Ha!  Ha!  Ha!

 

Well, as you read past I Samuel 16, you will see that this was not the case.  David eventually has to go back home and back to the sheep!

 

It will be many years before King David takes his rightful place as King of Israel.  Nothing comes to him easy!  In fact, David goes through a strenuous, well-charted process of killing the giant, having to kill even more Philistines for his promised wife, dodging javelins, and running for his very life.  It is the way God chose to develop his character and his total dependence on Him alone!  There are many tests that strengthen him as he became king.  Even the very Son of God would later come through David’s lineage!  Jesus is known as the “Son of David”.

 

It is amazing that God did so many things many years after King David’s death in the lives of the children of Israel “for the sake of His servant David”. 

 

David became what God intended in His time.  And so will we.  We will have to be “authenticated” by God, even when He has called us to a certain position.  Keep heart.  Never give up.  Know that it is well worth the wait!

 

- Ruth Charlene Smith (May her memory be a blessing…12/31/09)