David

David is an interesting character – there are things about him I dislike and that goes beyond his murder of Uriah the Hittite to cover up his adulterous affair with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba. While David lived in a violent age, he could also be violent toward those who crossed him. He couldn’t have been much of a father – two of his sons tried to steal the throne from him. His ego led to him doing a not needed census and this attracted divine judgment. YET how many among the good and the great in the Bible could be called a man after God’s own heart, besides David? It was David’s heart that drew him to our attention in the first place. He was the youngest among eight brothers – a mere shepherd boy, who was almost overlooked when the prophet Samuel called by to anoint the next king Israel, knowing only it was to be one of his father, Jesse’s, sons. In checking out sons one to seven, God had to tell him that while man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart, and as David, who fitted the bill, was the one who was God’s choice, it was he who Samuel anointed. Soon all could see that special quality what God saw, as the armies of Israel was set against those of the Philistines, and their champion, Goliath, challenged Israel’s champion to single handed combat, with the winner taking the spoils. David alone responded to the call because Goliath had defied the armies of the living God and all what mattered was to fight in God’s name. There is much about his story that is of interest, including how he established the kingdom, going from his father’s house, to part of the Royal Court, an outlaw and then king, and that from his line the future Messiah would come. Incredible but true, but half of the 150 Psalms were likely written by David and these have blessed many besides myself in the 3000 years that followed. Back to the business of the heart, David could and did stray from the Lord, but was willing to be corrected. Because of his heart that was for God, doing His will, and a desire for God to be honoured and glorified, that was more than anything a reason for his greatness.