A Man after God's Own Heart

I just finished I Samuel today, and I love reading about David BEFORE he becomes king of Israel. When someone says David's name, I generally think of one of three things: David and Goliath, Bathsheba, or the fact that he became King of Israel and began the Davidic line leading to Christ. Little boy with rocks and a sling. Lustful man involved in adultery and murder. King leading to Christ. Clearly, all of those events are important. It's cool to think of David as a young boy with full faith in God as he faces a literal giant, whom he must fight to the death. It's awesome to see David's repentance and God's forgiveness after his sin with Bathsheba. And it's absolutely amazing to see how God fulfilled His promise to David, that he would have a decendant on the throne forever, by sending Christ, our eternal kind, through David's line.

However, these events provide only small glimpses into who David was. I have been struck with the realization of how simple David's beginnings were... and how humble he was throughout all his many trials before he took the throne. David started as this ruddy little kid. He was the youngest of many brothers and probably wished he could go off and fight in war like they did, but instead he had to stay home tending to the sheep. In fact, David is annointed king by Samuel... and then nothing happens for a very, very, very long time. At first, it seems like things are happening correctly when David is chosen by Saul to play the lyre in  his court. David's musical ability basically gets him close to the king, which makes it seem a little more likely that he might become royalty. However, things go downhill from that point foreward. Saul eventually grows jealous and paranoid about David's success as a military leader, and resents the common phrase at the time: "Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands" (I Samuel 18:7). God is protecting and growing David to be a great leader, but Saul is jealous of his success. This only leads to trouble for David... Saul, in a fit of rage (and on two separate occasions!) throws a spear at David as he plays his lyre, trying to "pin David to the wall" (I Samuel 19:10). Even after this, David continues to faithfully serve his king. Finally though, Saul's anger becomes so bad that David is forced to flee and he lives in exile from Israel for many years. David honestly lives in caves and fields and foreign cities, moving from place to place as Saul pursues him seeking his life. It's not all too glamorous. And the thing is... David is kind and humble the whole time. On two separate occasions, David has a chance to kill Saul, and he refuses to lay a hand on God's annointed king.

What an example... David is a foreshadowing of Christ. He becomes a great king and is called a man after God's "own heart" (I Samuel 13:14) But although God grew him into a fierce warrior, a successful leader, and a whole-hearted worshiper, I think David is most like Christ because of his constant humility and service despite the wrong done against him. Of course, David was a sinner, but his humility and patience in suffering under Saul reminds me so much of my Savior who suffered death at the hands of sinful, violent men, to cover my sin and the sins of the world.