1 Samuel 18-24

"Happy the people to whom such blessings fall! Happy the people whose God is the LORD!"

Psalm 144:15, RSV 

Before David was king he was a wanted man in Israel. In fact, David was considered public enemy #1 by King Saul, the one who preceded him. Saul chased David for years, often personally leading his army in doing so. Saul searched for David, threatened those who were suspected of giving him sanctuary, and hounded him across several countries. What, you might be wondering, was David's crime? 

Saul was jealous. David was a hero and Saul was afraid that the people would like David more than him and maybe even decide that he would make a better king. But it was much more than that, for Saul had been told that God planned to give the kingdom to another who would be obedient to Him. But, rather than accept God's word and repent, Saul decided that he would go around God's decrees and kill the one who threatened his leadership.

And he made David's life miserable and tried for year to kill him. What was David's response? You see it above: Happy are the people whose God is the LORD! Why was that his response? Because the LORD was his God and he had been blessed as a result of his decision. And that made him happy!

Do you see now why God made David king over His chosen people? It was because David was a man after God's own heart! Israel was to learn down through the centuries that every time they had a king after God's own heart the entire nation would prosper. They were also to learn that every time they had a fool for a king whose heart was not set on the will of God that they would suffer tremendously - losing both God's blessing and the happiness that flows from His favor.

I wonder if our nation will ever learn that you cannot put people into roles of leadership who do not respect God's leadership? I wonder if we will ever learn that we can only be Happy when God is our Lord?  

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people."

Proverbs 14:34, NIV 

Today is day 10 of the 30 day challenge to read through the books of the champions and the kings, with I Samuel 18-24 being the reading for today. May God richly bless you as you seek to find His will and then to do it!