Mornings with a king

December 27, 2011

Tuesday

I suppose a reader may start questioning with my use of small letter “k” for the word king for the above title. Yes, I try my best to spend time everyday with the King, our God who indeed deserves the capital K, but the king I’m referring to in the title is a different royalty. Particularly, I spend my Monday and Tuesday mornings reading the book of Psalms, which compiles most of his hymns and songs to God- the man after God’s own heart- King David. My journey through the book of Psalms had been like reading and learning from his own journal. Ever wondered why he was called “a man after God’s own heart?

There exist many explanations, most I haven’t still read on, but I would like to impart that which I’ve learned in some of my mornings with this king.

King David was a typical person. He experienced several problems, he had felt pain, sorrow, and helplessness. He experienced betrayal from his own son, he was continually hunted by Saul to be killed and he had even committed adultery and murder.

But what made him entirely different from normal people aside from his crown was his faith. Anybody can speak of faith, anybody can say “I believe” but rarely does it genuinely show in their lives.

I find it very unlikely yet amazing how King David can sing a Worship song when he was there in the cave fleeing from Saul, running for his life. He did not measure God’s goodness and faithfulness in terms of the several problems he faced. If he did, I bet he would rather have known Him as the Great Problem-giver. He did not doubt His steadfast love and mercy when trials were the things that seemed constant and unchangeable. Yes, there were times, he was about to give in, give up, yet the following hymns he wrote showed how he continued in his faith. He believed in the true Character of God (Refuge, Most High, Rock, Shelter, Fortress, and many more) despite problems and regardless of his feelings. And God always proved Himself faithful in his life.

Yes, He is steadfast in His love, grace and mercy. But my mornings with this king, specifically this morning, made me ask myself:

Can I, like King David, say this and truly live it out:

“My heart is steadfast, O God,

My heart is steadfast!

I will sing and make melody!”

            (Psalm 57:7)

I could ask myself again, “Why was King David called the man after God’s own heart?” And an answer in my version is that he had the heart like Jesus’ - the steadfast heart.

It dawned on me that Christ-likeness is especially being faithful to God just as He is faithful to us.

God’s love and faithfulness is a given truth and promise for His people to hold on. But love and faithfulness to God on our part is a decision we make and commit ourselves to like the man after God’s own heart.