Most of us learned about David, the ruddy-faced boy who later became king of the Israelites, through the account of his showdown with Goliath, the giant. His incredible demonstration of faith is an example for everyone. Even though he lived during Old Testament times, when it wasn’t yet available to receive the indwelling Holy Spirit, David had unwavering trust in God. Acts 13:22(NLT) tells us, “But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.'” The world is filled with many heroic and admirable people, but there is no greater compliment to be obtained than to be called, “a man after my own heart” by our Heavenly Father. All of us should aspire to please God in this way, because this is the kind of loyalty that He rewards.
2Chronicles 16 of the Old Testament tells us that Asa, King of Judah, was under attack, and rather than trusting God who had given him victory in war before, he placed his trust in the help of the king of Aram. In 2Chronicles 16:9(NLT), God’s prophet, Hanani, told Asa, “The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.” The prophecy brought forth in this verse by Hanani demonstrates the importance of remaining committed and loyal to our Heavenly Father. He seeks those with hearts that are fully committed to Him, and when He finds them, He strengthens them, and they will not be overtaken by their enemies.
David understood this wonderful truth about our God. From his youth he honored the Father and wanted to please him. This doesn’t mean that David was perfect. He wasn’t. Like us, he had flaws. One of them was front and center when he lusted after Bathsheba. When God appointed David to be king over His people, David humbled himself under God’s leadership and because of this, the Father was with him and made him victorious in battle. One day, when he stayed home, in the palace, to rest from fighting, he took a walk on the roof. He spotted Bathsheba taking a bath in a pool nearby, and she was a beautiful thing. David wanted her for his wife even though she was already married to Uriah, a soldier. While Uriah was away fighting in David’s army, 2Samuel 11:4 tells us that David slept with Bathsheba, and later she reported to him that she was pregnant. David had one of his captains to place Uriah on the front line in battle so he would be killed. Then, he could have Bathsheba for himself, and this is exactly what happened.
Lust is a sin, and it can blind us to such a degree that we lose sight of what is right and wrong. This happened to David, but God sent Nathan the prophet to open David’s eyes. 2 Samuel 12:13(NLT) tells us, “Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.”” He laid bear before God, completely vulnerable. He sought the Lord’s forgiveness and received it.
King David did a very terrible thing. He took advantage of his position and used it to have a man killed. He traveled so far down a dark hole in his wrongdoing that one might wonder how he became so blind, and how did he allow himself to travel so far from God’s love. In 2Corinthians 4:4(NLT), God both warns and informs us about the enemy’s tricks. He tells us, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” This verse warns us that if we don’t keep ourselves steeped in God’s Word, satan can blind our minds to its light. If we allow the enemy to steal our focus, we can be tricked into heading down the same wrong path as David. God never wants this to happen to any of us. This is why He tells us in Proverbs 4:23 to guard our hearts and keep watch so that we don’t give the wrong things any room in them.
David’s lust provided an opening for the enemy to come in, and the devil used David’s lust to temporarily blind him. To keep this from happening to our own minds, we must be diligent about our loyalty and commitment to God. When we place our trust in Him, just as He made a way to bring David to his senses, He will do the same for us as well. It was God’s Word that He sent the prophet, Hanani, to speak to David, and the Word caused him to wake up. Our Heavenly Father knew that David was a man after His own heart and that he was a man of faith. Indeed, the record of David’s life is one of many in God’s Word that helps to build our confidence, because his life reveals that God will never disappoint us when we place our faith in Him. So, we must be tenacious in our commitment to our Heavenly Father. When we are, we can rest in the truth that no matter the circumstance or situation, God will always help us, and nothing can separate us from His love. ■
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
"The Heart of King David", written for victoryinjesuschrist.life. Copyright© 2024. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
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