A CHARACTER STUDY OF A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART (PART 1) - BE READY TO OBEY AND TO SERVE (1 SAM 17:15-23)

Dear Members in Christ,

A character study of a man after God’s own heart (Part 1) - Be ready to obey and to serve (1 Sam 17:15-23)

It is an old folk saying with a bit of humor that, “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago.” What it means is that it takes time before one can see the result of an endeavour. A tree takes years to sprout and spread its branches so that people can fully appreciate the benefits of its fruits and the shade it offers. Quite often, we see that in the formation and upbringing of men of God, i.e. it takes time and life experience to mould and make a man.  We are all familiar with the Bible character King David, a person whom God’s Word describes as, “a man after God’s own heart.” As we study the character of King David in his youthful days, we will see many accounts in his life which is formative in preparing him for God’s chosen role for him as the shepherd and king over His people. In these series of articles, we shall examine biblical accounts that shows the true character of the “man after God’s own heart”.

A. David as a youth – though young, but still obedient in service  

While Saul was perceived as a cowardly king, in contrast, the character of David was a demonstration of one who fully trusts in God. The Bible records much of his bravery in confronting Goliath, in his kingship, and how with God’s help he was able to unite the nation and secure its borders. As many as four books of the Bible i.e. 1^st and 2^nd Samuel, 1^st Kings, and 1^st Chronicles recorded the life and exploits of David. A study of David’s character from his early age shows us the true mettle of such a man. The Bible records how the three elder brothers were drafted into Saul’s army to fight the Philistines at the battle field in Elah, “And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Beth-lehem.” 1 Samuel 17:14,15.

David, being the youngest accompanied his brothers to the assembly of the army of Israel, but being the youngest, he returned to tend to his father’s sheep. Later on, David was tasked by his father to take supplies to his brothers fighting the Philistines. He was given the job to carrying ten loaves, an ephah (roughly 35 litres) of corn which would be the amount of corn that would fill a large sized backpack. In addition, he was to convey 10 cheeses to the captains. This is a seemingly menial task, but it involves no small measure of hazard. This is a task similar to the job of a military “runner” in modern armies. Often referred to as battlefield couriers, these are the strong and fit young men who traverse the battlefield, carrying messages to and from commanders, delivering important military orders from one corner of the battlefield to another. When called upon, David was obedient to his father’s command. He may not be of age to serve as a fighting man, but he was not shy to take up the responsibility of a battlefield courier.

Brothers and sisters, in this example of David as a young man, we see the youthful devotion of a man after God’s own heart. He may not be of age to fight in battle (at least in the eyes of men), but at heart he was ready to put his best foot forward to serve God’s people who were lined up for battle. Let us be ready and obedient when God calls us to service.

B. The hallmark of obedience – immediate response to serve

The Bible records how young David was swift to respond to the task his father had given him. We read in 1 Samuel 17:20, “… And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him.”

He rose “early in the morning”, a phrase which does not only point to the commencement of the action at a particular time of the day, but is usually indicative of the person’s keenness to proceed with the task. This phrase is often encountered in the Bible to describe the diligence with which a person proceeds to work on the task at hand. Eg. Genesis 22:3, 31:55, Exodus 34:4, etc. David was also obedient, as the Bible describes him as going on his journey “as Jesse had commanded him.” At this youthful age, David demonstrated an attitude of readiness to accomplish a task assigned to him.

This is quite characteristic of an obedient servant. He will immediately get on with the task given to him or her. A slothful person, on the other hand, will procrastinate, and offer excuses not to engage in labour right away. This work attitude is easily noticed and observed by those around us. Whether it is your place of work, or at home, our attitude towards work can make or break our testimony. This is especially so if our colleagues are unbelievers.

Dearly beloved, let us cultivate an attitude of readiness for labour, whether it is physical work, or spiritual service. Let us live a good testimony for the sake of the Lord Jesus. Let us be diligent in our work place, let us be devoted in our worship, and constant in our daily personal service to God. May God bless and strengthen us. Amen.     

In His Service,
Rev. Lim Seh Beng, Pastor