I was reflecting on the life of David today. He seems to lead a life of contention. From virtually the time we meet him he's contending against someone or some thing. He confesses that he's fought off lions and bears in his duties as a shepherd. He apparently had lots of practice with his sling because it only took him one stone to bring down Goliath. As the youngest he had to endure the berating by his older brothers. That relationship is never so evident than when David shows up on the battlefield to bring supplies to his older brothers who are with the Israelite army. I'm guessing the whole anointing thing with Samuel didn't sit well with his older siblings.
Of course one of his most famous confrontations was with the giant Goliath. David the shepherd boy took nothing from the well seasoned behemoth. David could trash talk with the best of them. But he also backed it up. Goliath ended up dead and the Philistine army fled.
King Saul invites David into his palace, gives him one of his daughters for a wife, but because of David's prowess on the battlefield and his corresponding popularity with the people of Israel, Saul became insanely jealous. The contention was on as Saul tried to kill David numerous times, even sending his army after him.
So David had strained relationships with his brothers, his father-in-law and king and was hated by the Philistines and other neighboring nations. But that wasn't the end of his contentious encounters. His household dealt with constant turmoil, partly the result of his own sin with another man's wife. He has one son that rapes his sister. Another son who kills his rapist brother and then later overthrows his father's thrown. David has to do battle in which many lost their lives for him to reclaim his thrown. We also see that David got into with his wives on occasion as evidenced when the Ark of the Covenant was brought back into Jerusalem and David danced in an undignified manner much to his wife' chagrin.
It's no wonder that many of David's Psalms are about delivering him from his enemies. He sure seem to have a lot of them. David's biggest dream was to build the temple in Jerusalem, but God wouldn't let him because he had "too much blood on his hands." Yet in spite of all the contention in his life and broken relationships, David is the only guy in the Bible that's referred to as "a man after God's own heart."
David is considered the greatest king of Israel and the first messiah. It is through his lineage that the true Messiah came into the world. The greatest warrior king gives rise to the King of kings and Prince of Peace in Jesus. Jesus does bring peace and love and joy and harmony and restored relationships. But Jesus is also known as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He did spiritual battle with the Ruler of the Air and came out victorious for all of us. Jesus made it possible for us to have a lasting peace with our Heavenly Father and an inner peace with ourselves. By the way, David's life of contention brought about the greatest peace Israel has ever seen.
God, I know that a lot of my contentious relationships are brought on by my own selfishness. But I also have noted that any time I am pursuing your path for your people I experienced resistance, rejection and opposition. I've realized that we aren't contending against flesh and blood, but are engaged in a spiritual battle that will continue until you return. God, I don't want to be a contentious person, but I do want be a man after your own heart. Give me the strength and wisdom to always follow your precepts.
Of course one of his most famous confrontations was with the giant Goliath. David the shepherd boy took nothing from the well seasoned behemoth. David could trash talk with the best of them. But he also backed it up. Goliath ended up dead and the Philistine army fled.
King Saul invites David into his palace, gives him one of his daughters for a wife, but because of David's prowess on the battlefield and his corresponding popularity with the people of Israel, Saul became insanely jealous. The contention was on as Saul tried to kill David numerous times, even sending his army after him.
So David had strained relationships with his brothers, his father-in-law and king and was hated by the Philistines and other neighboring nations. But that wasn't the end of his contentious encounters. His household dealt with constant turmoil, partly the result of his own sin with another man's wife. He has one son that rapes his sister. Another son who kills his rapist brother and then later overthrows his father's thrown. David has to do battle in which many lost their lives for him to reclaim his thrown. We also see that David got into with his wives on occasion as evidenced when the Ark of the Covenant was brought back into Jerusalem and David danced in an undignified manner much to his wife' chagrin.
It's no wonder that many of David's Psalms are about delivering him from his enemies. He sure seem to have a lot of them. David's biggest dream was to build the temple in Jerusalem, but God wouldn't let him because he had "too much blood on his hands." Yet in spite of all the contention in his life and broken relationships, David is the only guy in the Bible that's referred to as "a man after God's own heart."
David is considered the greatest king of Israel and the first messiah. It is through his lineage that the true Messiah came into the world. The greatest warrior king gives rise to the King of kings and Prince of Peace in Jesus. Jesus does bring peace and love and joy and harmony and restored relationships. But Jesus is also known as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He did spiritual battle with the Ruler of the Air and came out victorious for all of us. Jesus made it possible for us to have a lasting peace with our Heavenly Father and an inner peace with ourselves. By the way, David's life of contention brought about the greatest peace Israel has ever seen.
God, I know that a lot of my contentious relationships are brought on by my own selfishness. But I also have noted that any time I am pursuing your path for your people I experienced resistance, rejection and opposition. I've realized that we aren't contending against flesh and blood, but are engaged in a spiritual battle that will continue until you return. God, I don't want to be a contentious person, but I do want be a man after your own heart. Give me the strength and wisdom to always follow your precepts.
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