I Samuel 17:34-35
Life is a progression. Even scripture states in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that we are changed from glory to glory. There are peaks and valleys, and a lot of flat plains of monotony in between. Yet, it all weaves together to bring us to our various and unique places of destiny.
When I think of David, I see the monarch and the majestic king he became, flanked by the tapestry and accouterments of his kingdom—a great king, legislating laws, and dispensing commands carried out by loyal subjects; a focused king with the weight of his known world upon his shoulders. Being the king of Israel was a job he was anointed to do, even as a young lad, but he didn’t play the role until he was a grown man.
As a lad, he may have been anointed to do a job, but he wasn’t adequate for its responsibility until sometime later. Anointing and adequacy don’t always coincide; neither do competency and capability. Adequacy and capability come with growth and experience, while anointing and competency are God-given graces that extend one’s natural abilities into realms of supernatural accomplishment, once those abilities have been made mature through the process known as “life.”
Before there was a kingdom to rule, there was a bear to defeat, a lion to conquer, and a giant to bring down to size. God was merciful to David, in that he didn’t throw him into the mire of kingdom administration without first testing and maturing his abilities in the smaller fires of more routine struggles. David learned lessons at every level of conflict and contention that later became manifestations of wisdom at higher levels of performance.
David learned from fighting the bear that troubles are often not announced ahead of time. In recounting the story once to King Saul, David said, “There came a bear …” No invite. No notice. He just showed up to inflict harm. Any problem just “come your way” lately?
David learned from the lion that you finish what you start. Scriptures initially indicate David only engaged the lion to the point of making the lion release its captured prey. The Bible states the lion “turned on David.” It was then David had to destroy the ferocious beast. Leaving the enemy in a position to return, attack, and inflict pain is something that even the most experienced warrior must be warned of occasionally.
David learned from fighting Goliath that regardless of the size of the challenge, the battle is the Lord’s, and He is our defender and ultimate protector.
In God’s eyes, the kingdom was as much David’s on the day of his anointing, as it was the day he first put on the crown. God loved David enough, however, to delay the coronation until he was anointed and ready. The combination brought him to his destiny and made him a great king. Imagine what it will do for you.
Tim Hill
