Today's repost is from August 23, 2023. Remembering David's exchange with priest Ahimelek is timely for me. David had to leave everything behind but God highlighted which part of David's past was still anointed.
Goliath's Sword
When I worked in childcare, I noticed almost every little boy's favorite Bible story was David and Goliath. Any other narrative was a distant runner-up.
I remember one preschooler coloring over a handout of Goliath looming tall above a sling in David's hand. The enthusiast declared he was going to take Goliath's sword and "kill Satan with it, just like David!" We teachers enjoyed the toddler's zeal and rested in the knowledge that his theology had time to mature.
Who doesn't admire King David? The neglected son who became a giant killer, the harpist who dispelled an evil spirit, and the anointed king who was reduced to a hunted fugitive tugs on heart strings of men and women alike. Young David had more life experiences than most before ever ruling as king over all of Israel.
David was a mighty man of war but he was also a champion of overcoming evil with God's goodness.
David still obeyed his father by tending to his father's sheep and continued to obey his father despite extreme maltreatment. Per Jesse's direction, David took supplies to his brothers on the frontlines of battle. This act of obedience allowed David to be in the right place at the right time, to deliver his people from the Philistines and to position himself for greatness.
David refused to retaliate against Saul for trying to "pin him to the wall" while playing the harp. Instead, David opted for a life on the run. As a fugitive he left his place of prominence, his wife Michal, his best friend Jonathan, and any reasonable chance of fulfilling Samuel's prophecy.
Alone and hungry, David sought help from the priest Ahimelek. Ahimelek gave him food, but possibly more importantly, reconnected David to his life-changing victory by giving David back Goliath's sword.
Once Goliath's sword was back in David's hand, he began to lead again. A ragtag group of family members, debtors, the distressed, and discontented gathered around David. The four hundred men grew to six hundred men and David acquired more victories and two more wives. He also spared Saul's life on two dramatic occasions.
David's prayer life, awareness and response to conviction (1 Samuel 24:5), ability to wait and take action appropriately, and habit of seeking the Lord were traits that allowed God's goodness to overcome the trials that plagued him.
Before leaving everything behind to flee Saul's indignation, David understandably lost his composure with Jonathan. David's plight was a hard and lonely one. Ahimelek's gifts of bread and blade seemed to revive hope and purpose.
David was not just called to survive, he was called to lead God's people. He had to rise above Saul's misdirected hatred and any other unfortunate circumstances.
Has life hit you a devastating blow? Does good seem out of reach?
What past victories can you pull from to reconnect with your hope and purpose?
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