If you look at the life of King David, he is pretty much like you and me. He has his strength and weaknesses like every human being. He was an artist, a poet, a musician, that he was often invited by the king to perform in the palace. He was also a warrior, even as a young man, he took down Goliath with his slingshot. He was so courageous that while others thought Goliath was too big to confront, but David thought he was too big to miss. Of course, we also know his weaknesses in his relationship with Bathsheba.
But, the reality is he was just a shepherd boy, yet he became the king of Israel. The Scripture says, the reason of his success was because David was a man after God’s own heart. I am sure all of us want to be people after God’s own heart. We all want to be blessed by God, just as God blessed David.
The scripture readings according to the lectionary this morning tells us about how King David was a man after God’s own heart. If King David were around today, and if you were to ask him to give you some Spiritual Direction to send you toward the right path of life and a right relationship with God, what would he tell you?
1 – Stay Close to the Presence of God
"It was before the LORD"
David just became the king of Israel and he has all the excuses to be busy and forget about the Lord. After all, the Ark of the Covenant has been taken away by the Philistines for 100 years. Even his wife, Michal, the princess, the daughter of King Saul, didn’t think it deserve such a reverence. When she saw her husband King David dancing on the road in front of the Ark, it didn’t make sense to her. In fact, she despised her husband for doing that.
For a faithful Jew, the Art of the Covenant is the physical symbol of the presence of the Lord. Michal has been going to the church all her life with her father where there is no presence of the Lord. Ultimately, the presence of the Lord is no longer important to her.
But it was important to David. As soon as he became the king and as soon as he conquered the Philistines, he brought the lost Art back to Jerusalem, the capital city of the nation. He wants to be at the presence of the Lord. He took off his clothes and put away his crown, making a statement that I am not the king, but the Lord is the King. I might be the king of Israel, but the Lord is my King. I want to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem and keep the Lord near me.
Based on this passage, I am sure if you were to ask King David to give you an advice on your spiritual life, he would have told you to "stay close to the presence of the Lord."
2 – Remember to Count the Blessings
"I was before the Lord, who chose me in place of your father and all his household, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD..."
Each time we become worry, or whinny, or unhappy with the things around us, it is usually we forget to count the blessings. Years ago, one of my cousins told me that one morning he was crossing the Bay Bridge on his way to work in San Francisco, he stopped at the toll booth to pay the toll. It was a hot summer morning and the smogs from the cars just made those toll booths a miserable place to make a living. As he handed out the toll, he asked the toll collector, "How are you doing?" The man answered, "Counting the blessings, sir."
Trust me, each time you start complaining about life, be aware of yourself, and you will discovered that you have forgotten the blessings. As long as you are breathing, there is all ways to give thanks for.
Give thanks for what you have. Some people have what I call "Material Malady." They think I will be happier if only I have this and that. If only I have what my sister has. If only I have what my neighbor has. Remember there are millions of people out there dying to have your problems. Give thanks for what you have.
Give thanks for where you are. Some people have what I call "Destination Disease." They think I will be happier if I move to the West Coast. When they move to the West Coast, they think they would be happier when they move to Australia. They can’t be happy, because they are always looking forward to a happier time on Blue Bayou. They will find themselves drawn to songs like this, "Saving nickles saving dimes, Working til the sun don’t shine, Looking forward to happier times, On Blue Bayou."
Folks! You know that life is not a bed of roses. But, life is not a bed of thorns either if you know how to stop and smell the roses. Life is much easier when you remember to count the blessings.
King David says, "I am where I am because God chose to put me here." Because he never forgets to count his blessings, I am sure he would definitely advise you to remember to count the blessings.
3 – Resist the Temptation of the Flesh
"I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in my own eyes;"
Michal is tempting David to surrender to the flash, rather than the Holy Spirit. Just listen to what she said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ maids, as any vulgar fellow might shamelessly uncover himself!” She is tempting David with pride and dignity because for her the dignity of the flesh is more important than humility in front of God.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians that there are three types of people when it comes to spirituality. The first type is what he called, "Natural Man," or the NRSV translated it as "unspiritual" people. Paul says, they not only don’t understand the spiritual matters but also see them as foolish. This is the case of Michal here against her husband. She couldn’t understand why David did what he did. She said he behaved like a vulgar people.
Have you ever criticized by people for your devotion to Jesus Christ? Have you ever been called a fanatic or Jesus freak for being a devoted Christian? Have you been misunderstood or treated with contempt by your own relative, or in David’s case, his own wife, regarding your spiritual practices?
Sometime you just have to accept the reality that some people would never understand why you do what you do in relationship with Jesus Christ. King David was saying to his wife that my relationship with the Lord will never be understood by you. I will appear even more contemptible and abased.
Sometimes when you give your life to the True God, other gods will come and compete in order to win you to them. Many people in David’s situation would say, "Well, forget about serving the Lord, my wife doesn’t even approve what I am doing." They would surrender to the force of the flesh, and give up on worshiping the true God. How many men can stand the contempt of his wife?
If you get up in the morning and you don’t have to face the Devil, you must be heading the wrong direction. There is always a temptation for you to give up doing the right thing. There is always some gods out there asking you to worship them rather than Jesus Christ. The only persons that don’t have to face the temptation are those heading to the direction of the gods.
4 – Fellowship with Godly People
but by the maids of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.
David is saying, "Even though a princess like you don’t understand my spirituality, the simple and humble people like your maids can appreciate what I am doing. They know the Lord more than you do."
When you are challenged like David, you have to realize that the world is not full of unspiritual people like Michal. There are many godly people around that can appreciate what he does. So David has a choice. Would he fellowship with those like Michal who wants him to walk in the flesh, or those who encourage him to walk in the Spirit.
When you feel people don’t understand you, it is because you are focusing on the wrong group of people. Some people are hungry for acceptance by the wrong people. David doesn’t care, he rather seek fellowship with the maids that are spiritual than seek the acceptance of the princess. For him those maids are the real princesses through God’s eyes, but Michal is just a worldly princess.
Wiseman says, "If you want to fly like an eagle, you can’t run with the turkey." King David would advise you to hang out with the eagles, even though those eagles might be among the simple and humble people.
This is the blessed assurance that we learn from King David’s spiritual life.
1 – Stay Close to the Presence of God
2 – Remember to Count the Blessings
3 – Resist the Temptation of the Flesh
4 – Fellowship with Godly People
