I like David

I like David. Yeah, you know...King David... in the Bible. I think its because I feel like I can relate to him. No, I've never been a king, and I'm quite sure I never will be. I couldn't come close to handling the kind of leadership power that David had as king.

No, I've never slung a stone at a giant and killed him, and hopefully I'll never be put in a situation where I would even have to try. 

Never killed a wild animal with my bare hands... at least not one that was capable of eating me, although I do like to hunt, so I suppose we have that in common.  

And praise God, I've always been faithful to my wife, and always plan to be, so I'm not like David in that respect either. 

So why would I relate to him, when it seems like we would have nothing in common. 

Well, Its mainly because of scriptures like Psalm 13:1-2, where he says:

  "How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?"

        I love that David can be so strong and confident in who God is, praising him, marveling at his power and creation in one moment, and then suddenly seem so weak and weary, wondering where God even is.  

Yeah, I can relate to David. I have those days... sometimes weeks, where I wonder where God is. So I read Davids words in Psalm 13, where he is filled with sorrow, doubt, stress, sin...all those things I sometimes feel, and think "yeah...I can relate to that." And then I read something like Psalm 18:1-6:

"I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears."

I read those words and I am refreshed and encouraged. Somehow, its like a warm blanket for my soul. It just helps me feel more secure. 

I wonder... do you ever feel like David? Ever wonder when things are finally going to work out? Ever feel like God has abandoned you? Ever felt like you were all alone? Sometimes I do... 

But I'm also comforted by the fact that David and I definitely have one thing in common. We love the same God. And the same God that delivered and saved David, is the same God who delivers and strengthens me. 

I like David. He's my kind of guy... How about you?

Cayle