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Preparing To Lead, July 14
When there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, I went
out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when
he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew
him.
1 Samuel 17:34, 35
, R.V.
David was growing in favor with God and man. He had been instructed in
the way of the Lord, and he now set his heart more fully to do the will of God
than ever before. He had new themes for thought. He had been in the court of the
king and had seen the responsibilities of royalty. He had discovered some of the
temptations that beset the soul of Saul and had penetrated some of the mysteries
in the character and dealings of Israel’s first king. He had seen the glory of royalty
shadowed with a dark cloud of sorrow, and he knew that the household of Saul, in
their private life, were far from happy. All these things served to bring troubled
thoughts to him who had been anointed to be king over Israel. But while he was
absorbed in deep meditation, and harassed by thoughts of anxiety, he turned to
his harp, and called forth strains that elevated his mind to the Author of every
good, and the dark clouds that seemed to shadow the horizon of the future were
dispelled.
God was teaching David lessons of trust. As Moses was trained for his work,
so the Lord was fitting the son of Jesse to become the guide of His chosen people.
In his watchcare for his flocks, he was gaining an appreciation of the care that the
Great Shepherd has for the sheep of His pasture.
The lonely hills and the wild ravines where David wandered with his flocks
were the lurking place of beasts of prey. Not infrequently the lion from the thickets
by the Jordan, or the bear from his lair among the hills, came, fierce with hunger,
to attack the flocks. According to the custom of his time, David was armed only
with his sling and shepherd’s staff; yet he early gave proof of his strength and
courage in protecting his charge....
His experience in these matters proved the heart of David and developed in
him courage and fortitude and faith.
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