Ten Times David's heart

One of my all time favorite characters in the word of God apart from Yeshua has always been King David for me. Though many of us identify ourselves with the struggles he went through, I have always prayed asking God to give me ten times David's heart. You remember in the story of Elisha's life he asks Elijah before taking on the mantle and office of prophet hood double portion of his spirit and it was granted to him. We thereafter see how Elisha's ministry was transformed with the power of works and miracles throughout his life.

You know now why I want ten times David's heart, the scriptures reveal not once but many times that David was a man after God's own heart, primarily because of his  intimate relationship with the Lord and readiness  to do everything that was in the heart and mind of God.

Yesterday  I re-read the all time favorite story of faith from 1 Samuel Chapter 17, the scene is the huge philistine army and the armies of Israel are lined up against each other for battle. And adding to the terror of the scene for forty days the Philistine giant Goliath has come out to hurl insults, threats and challenges at the armies of God. A shepherd boy from the fields of bethlehem has come to the battle scene to run errands for his father bringing food supplies for his brothers who are enlisted in King Saul's army.  And as usual the Goliath the Philistine war champion is hurling insults at the Lord God of Israel and the armies of Israel. Thousands of warriors are shaking in their armors at the very sight of this giant except for this shepherd boy, David who is rather surprised. He enquires as to what will be done to warrior who challenges and brings down the giant. The pivotal points I want to emphasize here is he specifically is inquiring asking "Who is this uncircumcised gentile who dares defy the armies of the living God of Israel?" (Paraphrase mine).

David takes up the challenge even foregoing the warning from king Saul. David knows who is on his side and who goes with him. He runs out to meet his foe with five stones and a sling. At the sight of the ruddy handsome kid, Goliath the giant laughs and retorts, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?" Cursing David he said "Come here, and I will give your flesh to birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"

We know how the story ends, David slings his stone right on target and brings the giant down, cuts off his head with Goliath's own sword and saves Israel and its armies, but that is not the clincher of the story. The nailing point of the story comes in the reply that David gives to Goliath, a answer that gives goosebumps to many to this day, an answer that inspires towering faith and that was:

45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."

The shepherd boy becomes a warrior because he knows who his God is, he knows who he is and he knows this giant is nothing but a puny little stumbling block that he can bring down with a tiny stone. The shepherd boy was fully devoted in intimacy with the God of Israel and he was not going to an opportunity go by to LET THE WORLD KNOW THAT THERE IS GOD IN ISRAEL and it is for His Glory that he will stand and fight.

Blessings and Shalom

Sam Kurien

P.S: Today in my quiet time the Lord spoke to me from Hosea 2:19-20 I share it here and I pray may it be so too for your life:

19 I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in [d] righteousness and justice, in [e] love and compassion. 20 I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD.

That my friends is the promise of intimacy with the Lord.