Glory in the LORD

I have been reading through Gene Edwards Tale of Three Kings, and it is among my favourite Christian books.  Relevant, instructive, and profound, I find particularly useful the portrayal of David.  He was a man after God's own heart, chosen by God to be king of His people.  The fact David was anointed did not make life easy on David, and in him we see a shadow of Jesus Christ.  He was the chosen Messiah - the Anointed One - yet He faced rejection and willingly laid down His life on the cross for sinners.

After numerous attempts on his life, David fled.  1 Samuel 22:1-2 reads, "David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. ² And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him."  David left all alone, yet people came to him in the cave.  His family sought David and came to him, but also everyone who was distressed, in debt, and discontented.  To David came the dregs of society, those weary of a miserable existence, people who had nothing to contribute but needs, debts, and hungry mouths to feed.  They seemed a liability, but David became their captain.  He gave them no promises of wealth or success, but he was a man after God's own heart in whom the Holy Spirit dwelt.  From this description it is hard to imagine, but out of this rabble were forged mighty men of renown, brave-hearted warriors, loyal servants, men who were willing to sacrifice all, and faithfully followed David everywhere He went.  They were willing to risk their lives for the chance to please and bless David.  With this humble group, the beginnings of David's kingdom was established.

In His wisdom, God has seen fit to fill His Church - the Body of Christ - with such men and women.  Not many mighty, wise, or noble are called.  The Church is comprised of people who are distressed about the state of their souls, people who owe a debt of sin no man could ever pay, and have become discontented with all the lies, deceitfulness of riches, and the cares of this world.  David didn't cherry-pick his men based upon what they could offer him, and Jesus receives all who humbly approach Him in faith.  What can a man offer God?  We can only offer ourselves, wretched though we are:  full of fears, faults, burdened under guilt and an everlasting weight of sin.  We come to Jesus in weakness and desperation, having exhausted all hope in ourselves for salvation.  The Bible never mentions the debts of David's men again, and when we are born again through repentance and faith in Christ our sin God remembers no more.

David's mighty men would never have been mighty without him, and the only way we can become all God created us to be is through faith in Jesus Christ.  All my life I have desired to be the "real deal" when it comes to following Jesus, but I have learned Jesus Christ is the only "Real Deal."  I'm nothing of myself.  I am a liability and am unworthy.  I'm just a man who has discovered in Christ peace that passes understanding, my debt of sin has been paid, and I am learning to be content in any and every situation.  1 Corinthians 1:26-31 concludes, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-- ³¹ that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."