David, thoughts from the life of the shepherd boy.

I’ve completed reading through 1 and 2nd Samuel in my time with God in the last few months; all about David’s life. I gleaned so much from it and am blown away by the conviction, humility, and the countless lessons in these 2 books. I’m sharing what I’ve journaled from it, in hopes that not only would I remember all I learned about David, but also that it may pique your interest to read it for yourself and soak up every morsel of gold from it!

“I gleaned so much from it and am blown away by the conviction, humility, and the countless lessons in these 2 books.”

The amount of grace shown towards David is incomparable. The innumerable mistakes and acts of disobedience he did are endless. However, we look at David and think he’s a righteous man. I mean after all, he was “a man after God’s own heart”. But after diving into God’s Word and reading all there is about his life, I’m amazed as to how different I see him now. David starts out as a nobody just like you and me, he became someone because of God. BUT, somewhere along the lines, he forgets who God wants him to be.

He no longer had a fear of God or the consequences that would occur with his disobedience and unrighteous deeds. He overlooked the biggest fact that God was the reason everything that went right not his works. From lying about a mission and causing Saul to kill 85 priests to killing a man because he got his wife pregnant. Running from his own people to their enemies and befriending them. David was hunted by his son, and overthrown, and had so many other family calamities. He reigned through famine and was betrayed multiple times. All of this would cause us to think he was a corrupt man, selfish, a poor father of his house, and ruler of Israel.

“But in all this, David was a “man after God’s own heart”.”

We say it all the time “God uses all kinds of people for his work”. But do we actually believe that? Do we? I mean really? Do we see how God can now use an alcoholic to win people to Christ? Or an abused girl becoming a loving mom of 4. I myself feel so convicted about this. In my quick assumption, it’s so easy for me to see the worst, not the possibilities. David went from being a lowly shepherd to King of all Israel. A nobody to a somebody. In countless stories in the Bible God shows His power by using these circumstances to teach us redemption and humility.

Throughout his life, we see that David fights armies with God on his side and aids Saul in fighting his wars even though he sought to kill him. He kills a giant with just a sling and a stone. This young man saves the city of Keilah and has chances to even kill Saul but doesnt because he knows he is God’s anointed. He spares evil Nabal’s life on behalf of Abigail and when Saul is killed in battle me mourns over it. David showed kindness to Mephibosheth the house of Sauls offspring. He wrote so many passages of great Psalms. The list goes on and on. And these are usually what we remember and chose to see.

So why do I say all this? Well, because I needed to see this, to see that God uses lowly shepherds to govern people. And more than this, that with God every single good act David did was made possible. His patience with us in all our failings are insurmountable.

“As a Christian, the Holy Spirit is living and active. He thrives for us to allow him to work on our lives daily so that we too can turn our mundane story into His Glory. “

I hope this is an encouragement to you as it has been to me. My eyes are wide open, to say the least. David’s life was a testimony to our great God and an awesome story that needs to be reflected on again and again… I encourage you to study these 2 books, you won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for reading,

xoxo, Shantel