[/caption]I first thought about this mini study a couple of years ago for a Friday night youth work, but I honestly believe there are some practical lessons for us all here in this study and I share them with you now for our mutual benefit. As there are three things this will divide neatly into a three part post over the next few days, so keep hitting the site for the next instalment!
1. Sheep
Of course we remember that it is as a young shepherd that we are introduced to David, and we find him caring for his father Jesse's flocks (1 Sam 16:11). It is here that David learns a lot of the skills and characteristics hat will prepare him for service. He is caring, feeding and protecting the sheep, engaged in profitable activities that will serve him well throughout his life in relation to being a leader for God in Israel. This is a challenge to us - those of us who are young or not long on the Christian pathway, what habits and traits are we learning and picking up as young people? What activities are we engaged in and how are we spending our time? I challenge myself with this as I myself struggle with managing my time and often find myself being distracted by frivolous and worthless things!
Of course sheep were to come back into David's life at other stages and I thought of Nathan's parable in 2 Samuel 12. The prophet paints a vivid picture and chooses something that David will understand, a picture of a lamb. Of course we remember that the purpose of the parable was to rebuke David for his sin with Bathsheba and this gross sin would cost him greatly. But recovery and forgiveness was possible and David would repent of his sin and be restored once again. The lesson for us is that we should strive to live holy lives well-pleasing to God - "be ye holy". However there may be times when we fail, yet we have the promise of the Word of God; "if any man sin he has an advocate with the father" There is always forgiveness and restoration with the father, we can never be cut off from him! However we should keep short accounts with God, repent when we fail and ask God to forgive us. Our failure should be the exception rather than the rule however, and it should not be so that are lives are constantly marked by repetitive sin and failure.
I would consider one last mention of sheep in David's life, this time in his old age at the inauguration of his son Solomon as king in 1 Chron 29:21. David sacrifices 1000 rams and 1000 lambs on this auspicious occasion. Here we see the sheer extravagance of David's praise and worship and this is something that marked David's life, his abundance in worship and thanksgiving to God. Remember when the ark was brought back, he danced and praised God! Of course this too should mark us as believers, both when we gather together publicly and in our own lives we should be ready and abundant worshippers! The father seeks for worshippers, (John 4:23) he deserves our praise and like David, we should be happy and willing to offer it.
I trust these simple thoughts will have been a challenge and encouragement to us. Later we will look at the second of the three things found in David's youth that influenced and characterised the life of this great man.
Yours in Christ,
Mark
No comments:
Post a Comment