Monday Thought -- October 31, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“These are the last words of David:  The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel’s singer of songs:  The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.” (2 Samuel 23:1-2)

David was aging and knew his days on earth were growing short.  He had written many psalms that expressed his heart and now he wrote a final psalm.  It’s interesting to see how David identified himself as he began his final message.  He could have identified himself as the great king of Israel, the great warrior who was victorious over all of his enemies, even the victor over the giant Goliath.  David accomplished many great things during his life on earth.  But none of those great things would be the things by which David would identify himself in this final psalm.

David called himself, “the man exalted by the Most High.”  David knew where all that he had came from.  He knew it did not come from his own effort or merit.  What David had accomplished came through the blessing of the Lord.  It was all to God’s glory, not to David’s and David was sure to give that glory to the One who deserved it.

David called himself, “the man anointed by the God of Jacob.”  He wanted everyone to know that his life had been touched by God.  That was most important to him in his final days.  What he had accomplished was not high on the list of the things on his mind.  It was his relationship with God that was on his mind.  And he wanted all to know that the God he served was the God of his people, the God of Jacob.  It was an encouragement to Israel to remain to true to the God of their fathers.

David called himself, “Israel’s singer of songs.”  David didn’t choose to be known as king or soldier, but as worshiper of God.  What was closest to David’s heart was that God would speak to him and through him.

As you age and your time on earth grows short, consider what will be most on your mind.  Like David, it won’t be the list of your grand accomplishments.  It will be your relationship with God and what He accomplished in you and through you.  And if that will be most on your mind at that critical time of your life, why not make it most on your mind today, too!

His, by Grace,

Steve