"Do not just hear the Word of God and think hearing is enough. DO what it says!" James 1:22

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Lesson 25, Servants of God

2 Samuel 1-4




Other than Jesus, David was most likely the greatest king in the Bible... or at least many people would think so.  Yet David wasn't perfect.  He turned from God's direction and joined with the Philistines.  He had many wives when God had clearly told His people NOT to marry more than one person.  And we'll see more of his choices to sin in our future lessons.  When we look at David's life before he became king, however, it's very obvious he had a really rough life.  He was always in battle and he spent most of his time running from Saul and Saul's armies.  God may have protected him through it all but God didn't take it all away.

David was a good man.  Bad things happen to good people.  Bad things happen to bad people. There were times when David made some bad choices.  But all in all, David was a good man. What were some of the things David chose to do even though bad things happened to him?

He willingly served others (1 Samuel 17:15... David went back & forth between playing harp for Saul and tending his father's sheep.)
He humbled himself (1 Samuel 18:18... David said "who am I" when Saul, the king, suggested that David marry one of the king's daughters... which would make David part of the royal family.)
He made covenants with the LORD (1 Samuel 20:16-17... Jonathon asked to have favor with David, even when the LORD had destroyed all of David's enemies.)
He honored God when it seemed strange to do so (1 Samuel 24:4... when David's men thought surely Saul came into the cave because God said He would deliver David's enemies to him.)
He prayed (1 Samuel 30:6 and again in 30:8... His own people wanted to stone him because they were so sad about their loved ones being carried off by the Amalekites. David prayed.)

In times of trouble... when bad things came David's way, he prayed.  He prayed for the LORD's comfort and he prayed for the LORD's direction.  What I love most about David's example of prayer is that he followed his prayer... with action.  In times of trouble, David prayed and then he waited for the LORD to respond.  Sometimes waiting can seem like doing nothing.  But David waited with expectation and a readiness to do the LORD's will.  2 Samuel 2:1 "David inquired of the LORD, 'Shall I go to the lands of Judah?' and the LORD said, 'Go.' David asked, 'Where do you want me to go?' And the LORD responded, 'He Hebron.'"

How will you respond when you experience times of trouble?  What will you do when the storms of life comes your way?  You might experience storms like the ones we recently experienced in our very own community or you may experience storms of a different kind like (loosing a baby sister) or (your mom being so sick she almost died) or (your dad actually drowning just to come back to life.)  How will you respond when bad things happen to you or to people in your community?  Will you pray like David did?  Then... will you listen to how the LORD directs you and then take action on your prayers?