Thoughts from camp - Day 9 - David and Saul

"Seek God until He breaks your heart, and then preach from the bottom of your broken heart." This 

is what I often say to those I mentor. So with seven weeks of speaking, writing devotions and heading up ministry at a summer camp, I anticipate being challenged, stretched and broken as the weeks roll on. Each day I will post some lessons to be learned from the devotions and messages we have studied as a camp.

Chaos and wickedness were the norm in Israel, because they had no king. God should have been their king, but they had rejected Him, so they demanded a human king. God gave them Saul. Saul started off fine but ended poorly and was replaced by a man after God's heart - David. What made David greater than Saul? The Lord was with him. He inquired, God assured him of victory and went before him. Unlike Saul, he wasn't willing to kill the Lord's anointed. Unlike Saul, he protected the priests rather than slaughtering them.

David was the king Israel needed. Sort of. He brought salvation and righteousness to God's people. But he wasn't the ultimate king. There was a greater king coming. David was greater than Saul, but some day Jesus would be greater than David - a more perfect ruler.

David was a good king because he was generous. He gave where Saul took. But Jesus is the ultimate giver of mercy and forgiveness. David shared wealth, but Jesus shares eternal joy.

David was a good king because he sought the Lord's direction and the Lord gave him victory. David won many battles over sinful nations, but Jesus won the battle over sin itself. David conquered the Phillistines, but Jesus conquered the grave.

David was a good king because he was humble – even when he sinned with Bathsheba, he was willing to repent. David repented when he had done wrong – he recognized his sin and was willing to take the punishment. Jesus never did anything wrong, and yet he was still willing to take the punishment for sin. David was humble, but Jesus is more humble.