Living in The Land of Limbo (Part 1)

 

I am not a big fan of making changes.

 

I never have been.

 

My kids are growing more and more each day and I am having a very hard time with that.

 

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE watching them grow, but to be honest with you, I do not always do so well with the idea of them actually getting bigger.

 

I do not think I will ever fully be able to come to grips with there being a day that they no longer reach for my hand in the store, come up and kiss me for no reason, ask me to read to them, ask me to help them perform some simple task or even let me hold them as they fall asleep on my lap.

 

I know those days will come to end with the smaller ones because they have really changed with the older one. The thing is, changes are like the twists and turns on a roller coaster. They are guaranteed, they are often unexpected, and depending upon how soon you just ate when they hit, they can make you sick.

 

I am quite sure that if we were to go throw out an invitation to everyone online and ask each one of you to tell the rest of us something that has happened in your life this year that was a change, that you could come up with something that has happened that maybe you have asked the Lord in the privacy of your room, or when you were alone… “Why?” or "I never planned on this. Did you know this was going to happen?"

I was reading something this past week that I wanted to show you. If you have had a “Why Lord?” moment recently, I think this will resonate with you.

"And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent. And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell. And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.
And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite. " ~ 1 Samuel 17:54-58

Goliath the giant has just been killed because as we all know, giants were made to be killed right?

Actually, David had brought some supplies to his brothers who had become increasingly famished while being cursed at by this giant. (Being cursed at by a giant can take a lot out of a fella)
David is enraged and demands the opportunity to kill this giant and the King Saul who has shaken so hard in fear of the giant, has actually shaken his armor off. He offers it to David who ignores the offer, and chooses five stones from a creek bed and rocks the giant to sleep!

 

What an awesome story!!!

The armies of Israel were afraid of this Philistine, but David saw the odds as they really were!

He saw a big drunken Giant, and a massively bigger sober God!!!

As soon as the king hears of David, he tries to discourage him. If you want to do something for God because of a God placed opportunity and desire, rest assured that there will be people who will try to discourage you.

David does not try to reason with Saul. He simply states the facts about what God has already allowed him to do and what God has already done through David. He tells Saul about the lion and the bear

Then after Goliath is turned into an ugly bearded bobble head, Saul asks who this David is. We know from reading the prior chapters that Davis already was in Saul’s palace, but now an interest is taken in him, and when the dust settles David is living in the King’s house on a full time basis.

"And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house." ~ 1 Samuel 18:2
 

Things seemed as if they were good in the hood for David!!!

 

David no longer was following the sheep. He took his harp and began to sing what I imagine was the precursor to the hit song “Were moving on up, to the east side!!!!”

 

"And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.
And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." ~ 1 Samuel 18:5-7

Then add to the new housing, a new job, and with the new job, a few songs written in your honor and I think that David must have thought that God was allowing this for his future role as king. It would seem as if all the doors were opening for David right?

Based upon what you and I know of the story up to this point, lets ask a few questions.

Q: Now it was back in chapter sixteen that the prophet Samuel came to Jesse’s house and anointed David King of Israel. If you were David, what would you think was happening when the King pulls you into the palace, and the people love you, and songs are being sung about you in the streets???
 

Q: Would you think that you were being prepared for the day you would be king?

Q: Would you think that maybe Saul would prepare you to be the next king??? A little on the job training perhaps???

While it was true that God indeed was allowing this change of events for David's preparation for the throne it would not be in the way that David may have thought it would be.

Sound familiar?

 

Did you know that the one thing that makes God laugh is our plans?

 

You know that part on a roller coaster ride where the car just sort of climbs ever so slowly to the first peak? The clicking that the car makes as it inches up that incline seem as though they will put you to sleep. Just then you crest the peak and plummet out of your wits!

 

That in fact was what was happening in the life of David at this point in the story.

You see Saul was in a battle of rebellion with God at the moment, and he began to take it out on the new guy.

"And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?" ~ 1 Samuel 18:8

While it is true that you should never throw stones in a glass house, there really is no written code of conduct for throwing spears in a castle.

 

Saul loved to throw spears.

 

More to the point, Saul loved to throw spears at David, and try to kill him on a daily basis.  

"And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul. Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.  Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him." ~ 1 Samuel 18:9-15
"And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.  And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually. Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by." ~ 1 Samuel 18:28-30

The climb up the roller coaster vanishes suddenly and the drastic scream your lungs out plunge happens. Things went crazy!!!

Saul tries to Shish-ka-bob David!

David is hiding statues in his bed!

Climbing out widows, and sneaking around alleyways at night!

Dodging pointy spear shaped flying projectiles by day!

Hiding in caves and meeting people in fields by way of Arrows, the really old fashioned text messaging!

Being hunted like an animal, and gathering an army of beggars and wanted men who coincidentally happened to smell like animals!

This was far from the practical training for up and coming royalty... or was it?

Have you ever found yourself on a roller coaster of activity that was one loop too many? Did you ever want to just ask, "God, what does this circumstance I am in have to do with what you made me to accomplish in my life?"

If so, then I can promise you that this Saturday's conclusion to "Living in The Land of Limbo" is going to be a timely blessing! I cannot wait to show you what David learned that allowed Him to thrive as the next in line as royalty!

~Dan