Anything that makes you great, that’s not of God, will eventually lose its luster.
That thought surfaced as I continued to read David’s declaration of praise after he’s finally freed from the pursuit of crazy King Saul.
He waited for this moment for years! In fact, David had perfect opportunity to kill Saul when the king entered a cave to relieve himself - the very cave where David & his men were hiding!😳
The men urge David to kill him, claiming that God providentially placed Saul in the cave at that very moment, but David refuses. David trusts in God, in His timing, in His perfect way, & Psalm 18 declares ALL of it!
He writes, “To The faithful, you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity, you show integrity; to the pure, you show yourself pure…”
David remains faithful, upholds integrity & keeps his heart pure as he waits with steadfast expectation for God’s perfect rescue plan!
He gives God all the credit for using the hard times as training times, making David swift & strong, while protecting him in the process of growth.
Last week our pastor said something quite profound about seasons of waiting & preparation:
“You’re on your way to the palace, & you’ll never need anything in the palace you weren’t provided In the prison.”
David declares his all-out-dependency on God during these “prison” years when he lived as an outlaw:
✨YOU gave me a shield of victory
✨YOU made a wide path for my feet
✨YOUR help has made me great
David’s “greatness” was simply a byproduct of keeping God great in his heart!
All things in David’s life, the times he felt overlooked, the times he fought a lion to protect the sheep, the time his faith overshadowed logic & he conquered a giant with a sling & a stone, the time he could’ve ended the misery of hiding from Saul, but instead, waited on God’s help…all of those were prison-like moments preparing him for the palace to come!
Now you & I might not be earthly royalty, but we ARE divine royalty, sons & daughters of the reigning supreme God! We’ll someday live in an eternal palace, but while we wait, let’s be like David & make God’s name great by living a life of complete surrender to His perfect will & wide-path Way!
2 CHRONICLES 8:11-10:19
ROMANS 8:9-25
PSALM 18:16-36
PROVERBS 19:26