I have always loved David. I think my love for him is because of several things. One, he writes so beautifully! I love poetry and first began writing song lyrics when I was around ten years old. I love to imagine David, sitting on the hills of Bethlehem, singing his lyrics to God as he watched over the flocks. I also love his transparency, his bravery, his loyal love for God and family. I love his underdog story, but more than anything, his faith is one thing I admire. He was said to be "A man after God's own heart" by God Himself! What's not to love about our young king in the making, David.
I was recently looking over his story again and there were some things that unfolded before me that I hadn't noticed before! This is one of the reasons I love reading the Bible, the treasures of knowledge are endless! God's Word is truly everlasting and amazing. As I discovered these things I wanted to write them down and share them because what better way to honor God's Word and the young writer, David, than to write about what I have learned?
So here is the first installment of what I plan to be five devotions based on the Boy King, David. I pray it is a blessing to you as you read.
A King from the Ashes
To tell David's story, like many of us, we need to go back into the family's history. We first hear about David, not in I Samuel 16, when he is called in from the back fields to be anointed king in front of the handsome, older brother lineup, but we first are introduced to David when he wasn't even a spark in his father's eye. We meet him at the end of the Redemption Story in Ruth.
The book of Ruth is normally discussed in relation to who Ruth was, but it really has the undercurrent story of Naomi. A woman who had presumably lost everything and was so broken she wanted to be called Bitter when she returned home to Bethlehem.
As the book is closing we see these beautiful words in chapter 4:
"14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. 15 May
he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age;
for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven
sons, has given birth to him.
16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. 17 The
neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!”
So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David."
These verses make me want to cry, every time I read them. I can just feel the pride and joy in Naomi's heart swelling up! I can imagine how she must have been so overwhelmed with happiness knowing the Lord had not forgotten her! The words of the women were prophetic in that they were words spoken over this new baby and his lineage. The women could not have known that one day this child's grandson would become the greatest king in Israel's history, but also that Jesus, the promised Messiah would be the ultimate King in the line of David.
Are you in a time of life that feels like an ash heap of hopelessness? There are times when there is nothing to do but sit, weep, and cling to the last strand of faith we have deep in our souls. Times when one memory verse keeps us going and times when we cling to the promise that God is working even when we don't see it. Naomi no longer was asking to be called bitter. She was tasting God's goodness. I imagine all the days of little Obed's life, Naomi was a wonderful grandmother. One who encouraged, taught, and loved on her grandson fiercely. She had no idea that her contribution to raising Obed would eventually impact the life of David. She thought she saw all that God had been working on when they placed that baby on her lap, but she had no idea he was just the tip of the iceberg!
As you reflect on your life and what may feel like a hopeless situation, remember:
1) God is working when we are in the ash heap of life. (Romans 8:28)
2) God is faithful even when we are faithless.(1 Timothy 2:13)
3) God sees your small areas of service, maybe in the life of a child or being a caregiver to a friend/family member. God sees what is done in secret and will reward you. (Matthew 6:4; Matthew 18:5)
As we study David's young life, I want to challenge you to join me, but I always want my devotions to encourage you to dive deeper on your own. Take time this week to read the book of Ruth. Make notes of Naomi's struggles. Note were she seemed hopeless and then where God was faithful. Please comment some of what you learned on each post. I would love to know what God is teaching you too!
-Melissa Pyle
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