#160: David's Diary (Excerpts from I Sam 17)

 

Many times when we read about the heroes of faith, we fail to realise that they were men like us. Trusting God was not any less difficult than it is for us today. If we were to read their diaries, what would we learn from their journey to the hall of faith? Let's have a peek at David's diary today as God grants us insight. Amen.

Months had passed since the Prophet Samuel visited my father’s house to anoint me as King over Israel. As I sat meditating over the events of that fateful day, a lot of questions were looming round my head: why me? (I was an insignificant member of the family. A family sacrifice could have successfully happened without me; a king could have been anointed in the family while I was away in the fields because my presence was insignificant) A King? Even if it were to be so, how could a king be anointed when there was already a king? And why was I not on the throne yet?

Few weeks after Samuel’s visit, King Saul sent for me to join his royal service. Was this what the Prophet must have anointed me for? But he was specific and emphatic over the position of the throne and the crown so why has the Word of God through His prophet not come to pass? (cf I Sam 3:19).

I had a break from the royal service because Saul led the army of Israel to battle against the Philistines. As soon as I arrived, I dashed to the fields to see my father’s sheep. To my dismay, I realised they were scanty. In my absence, a hireling was employed to shepherd the flock and when I asked him where the rest of the flock were, he told me, a beast had arose to attack and would take some away anytime it attacked. This made me so sad for many days. I decided to step in to the shepherd role for the period I was around that nothing be lost no more.

One day, my father told me to go and check the welfare of my brothers in the battle field and take supplies to them. On reaching them, I heard a loud voice boasting and making jest of the Israelites. They called him Goliath of Gath. I was again sad that no one had accepted the challenge to go and face him. Did Israel not have a champion? We did and he was King Saul. Why was he cowarding away?

I decided to go and face the giant. I can’t really tell if it was the offer of the king’s daughter as the reward that motivated me to take on the giant; it probably was part of it, but there was much more. When King Saul heard that I had accepted the challenge, he called me to his royal chamber. There, his assistant recounted to my hearing all the exploits of Goliath. In theory, I stood no chance. Goliath had single handedly defeated an army of 70 men. Was I more than 70 armed soldiers? I began to feel the weight of the decision I had just made to face the giant.

Saul gave me his armor and wished me well. But when I wore the armor, it was not comfortable. Luckily for me, I had my sling with me. I always had it with me. As a shepherd boy I had learned to always anticipate danger and be battle ready. It would be better I go with a weapon I am used to. As this point, it began to make sense to me: when I was tending my father’s sheep, no one was seeing me. No one saw when the beasts came to attack the flock, but God was watching me; could God have seen a faithful king to His people in those hidden days in the fields with the sheep where I thought my life meant nothing and my works were insignificant. My life began to make sense as I walked to the brook to get some smooth stones.

As I walked close to the giants, fear began to grip me. Even though I was facing the giant in God’s name, I could not but notice how fierce the giant was. But that was exactly how I felt when I went after the beast to save a lamb from its mouth, I reckoned that God who was with me and granted me victory could still do the same here. I realised that my time as a shepherd boy was a preparation for today. God was building faith in me. Now I could look back at God’s faithfulness in the past to draw hope and strength in faith for the present and future.

And God did not fail. The giant fell. God gave Israel victory that day through me – a mere shepherd boy, an unexpected and unlikely person, through an unexpected and unlikely battle weapon. That was a lot to wrap round my head. Even though the women sang my praise at the city gates, deep within me, I knew this was no ordinary victory and was probably the beginning of things to come.

In all these, the fact still remained – I was anointed to be king, but Israel still had a king. What could I make of God’s word through His prophet? Was now the time? How much longer would I have to wait for the fulfillment of God’s word? Was I to take matters into my hands to fulfill God’s word or faithfully trust Him to the end?