For David,
After he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, and was laid unto his fathers...
From Acts 13:36
Every person has a purpose for living, every one of us.
The tragedy of all tragedies is that we should live and die and never found that purpose, that special God-ordained purpose, for serving our generation.
At the end of his life, David could have looked back at:
Goliath: A Great Victory
The Wilderness: Building Life Values
War: A Necessary Evil
The Temple: An Unfulfilled Dream
Family: An Neglected Generation
Solomon: An Untried Ruler
Lasting lessons about character,as found in David’s heart after God
I. Hope
A. In the face of humanity’s failures
B. His many sins did not ultimately separate him from God
II. Courage
A. In the midst of fear
B. We fought God’s battles, usually against greater enemies and won.
III. Trust
A. In the hours of despair
B. When on the run from Saul or grieving for a dead child, David still honored his God.
IV. Forgiveness
A. From dark moments of sin
B. He learned the release of being forgiven, and of forgiving others too.
V. Serving God
A. Even though all our dreams may not be fulfilled
B. David still obeyed God, even when he had to wait
1. Waited over 10 years to become king
2. Waited while all he could do was prepare for his son to build the temple of his dreams
