Whilst growing up I attended Sunday school. Mostly it was on a part time basis as we lived on a farm in the country and there was an inability to get to town for church and Sunday school after milking. The only real impression I had of King David of the bible was the killing of Goliath. That impression was solely that one act. I did not relate King David to the son of Jesse. (At that time I did not know who Jesse was either.)
When I got a bit older, and was drifting away from Christianity, I occasionally read the bible in some forlorn hope that if I did so then God would help me pass some exams that I was required to sit. I failed. I did read about David and Bathsheba however.
Many moons later I came back to Christianity and I have now read the bible through several times. Now, of course, I can put two and two together. I 'get' the messages and know that David wrote some of the psalms and that Solomon was his son.
The initial thing that grabbed my attention, however, related to David's actions when he lead his 600 men in pursuit of the Amalekites after they had attacked Ziklag and carried away all the women and children. (1 Samuel 30:1-25.) David and his men chased after the Amalekites. They were weary, tired and dispirited and when they reached the brook of Besor, some of the 600 stayed there. They were too exhausted to go on. 200 of them stayed there while David and 400 went on. To cut a long story short, David caught up with the raiders, and freed his wives, his soldiers families and all the animals and goods taken by the Amalekites.
When David, his men, and the freed families arrived back at Brook Besor some of the 400 who had gone on with David, objected to sharing the 'spoils' with those who had stayed at the brook, too exhausted to go on. David then said, "My brothers, you can't do this with what the Lord has given us! He kept us safe and gave us victory over the raiders. No one can agree with what you say! All must share alike: whoever stays behind with the supplies gets the same share as the one who goes into battle."
I have shared this at several services in 'Old Folks Homes' as generally they also are too exhausted to go on. They have fought the battle but they also will reap the rewards. Actually they still do fight the good fight in many ways. They pray. Those who pray are generally at the forefront of the Spiritual war.
However, to a degree, I digress.
As I age, as time goes by, I find I am drawn back to King David. His life is our life. He had our failings and we can have his triumphs. He points me towards my Lord.
After years of unbelievers asserting that there was no historical record of King David I smile to myself at the evidence now coming to hand proving his existence. Not that I ever doubted.
New Zealanders will be interested in the fact that our soldiers were at Brook Besor during WW2.
