I don't know why blogger doesn't allow me to add a title for this post. Anyway this entry is about grace.




I'm currently reading Max Lucado's Facing Your Giants. The book talks about the life of David. The first chapter describes David as the giant slayer. He was the most unlikely of heroes. Even as Samuel went to Jesse to anoint the new king, he was not even among those considered worthy. He was out in the field tending the sheep. When he faced the giant, one could observe that he had set his sight on God. There's a stark contrast in the chapters that follow. Max Lucado proceeded to tell David's story. Our giant slayer friend starts to fall apart when Saul starts persecuting him. He falters around six times, on many of these occasions lied or deceived to protect himself out of fear. It seems he has lost sight of God. Max Lucado wrote:"Wilderness begins with disconnection and continues in deceit." David was disconnected. His wife, Michal helped him to flee Saul, but when confronted, said David forced her to allow him to flee. Jonathan, his best friend could not help him because he had to tend the court of a raving mad king father. He went to Samuel, but someone saw him and reported to Saul. He then escaped again. In times like these it's not difficult to sympathise with David. Many times out of fear, he could not see God's presence. So the author asks:"You see your giant, but is that all you see?" David finally finds a refuge in a cave in Adullam. He turns to God and soon finds refuge in Him again. God then sends many other people to join him to ultimately form his army.

The one thing that touched me a lot was the grace of God. David was later called in the new testament by God the man after God's heart. He was no saint! He committed adultery, murder, lied... He faltered. That's what happens to sinful imperfect people. I was really touched to day in worship when I thought about this. Grace is getting something we don't deserve. That is the love and forgiveness of God. I thought of this verse. Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.