My Thoughts. . .

04-27-2020

Is life playing a cruel joke on you?  Does it seem that whatever decision you make, it is wrong?  Have friends deserted you?  Does it seem that your prayers get no higher than the ceiling?  Here is what scripture says about David.

Testimony in the Old Testament:

“For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD’s commands all the days of his life–except in the case of Uriah the Hittite” (1 Kings 15:5).

Testimony in the New Testament:

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, . . . These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised” (Hebrews 11:32, 39).

“He raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will” (Acts 13:22).

From these passages David appears to have only one major sin that disrupted his peaceful life – “in the case of Uriah the Hittite.”  The rest of his days seem to be tranquil and peaceful without the hint of worry, distress, or disappointment!  That is, until you read some of his prayers.

“O God, listen to my prayer.  Don’t ignore my prayer.  Pay attention to me; answer me.  I’m worried, and I’m upset over what the enemy says and how the evil people stare at me . . . I have great anxiety . . . I’m scared; I’m shaking.  I am overwhelmed with horror. . . . I wish I had wings like a dove.  Then I would fly away and rest. . . . I would hurry to my place of escape, far away from the raging wind and the storm.” (Psalm 55:1-6, 8).

Here we see a different story.  In fact, it appears that David is not much different from us.

Have you ever wished you could get away from it all?  When life is closing in on you, wouldn’t you like to have a place where you could lock out that pressure so it could not get to you?  Sometimes we want God to be our slave, fetching our needs how and when we want them.  When His response does not match our desires, we yell at Him as we would a disobedient family member.  David exhibited those frustrations in his prayers as we often do in ours.  Jesus stated, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  Our problem is that God provides that “place,” but we open the wrong doors.

Jesus told his disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart!  And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives.  So, don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).

Like the apostles, we look at the storm rather than at Jesus.

“And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.  But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care if we perish?’  And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?’” (Mark 4:37-40).