The Lord Is My Shepherd

THE STORY chapter #12

(My home church is participating in the study of THE STORY – The Bible As One Continuing Story Of God And His People. Foreword by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee. Each week, my Thursday post focuses on our current study chapter.)

The story of David continued with his attraction to a women named Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite. David slept with her and she became pregnant. To cover up his sin, David urged Uriah to relax from his duties at a military campaign, and go home to his wife. But being the upstanding warrior that he was, Uriah stated he could not enjoy the comforts of home while other men were still fighting in battle. So David arranged for Uriah to be placed in the fiercest part of the battle, and Uriah was killed.

This action allowed David to marry Bathsheba. But there were consequences to pay for his sin against the Lord. God struck the child born to Bathsheba with an illness. Although David pleaded with God to spare the child’s life, seven days after the baby was born, he died. Upon hearing the sad news, David cleansed himself, changed his clothes, and went to the house of the Lord to worship. Through David’s sin and punishment, he fervently honored and displayed his love and respect for the Lord.

After David’s confession, he felt forgiveness. God continued to bless David’s armies in battle. And God also blessed David and Bathsheba with another son, whom the Lord loved, named Solomon. It was sometime after Solomon’s birth that David decided he wanted to build a magnificent permeant temple in which the Lord could dwell. But God told David he had shed too much blood in too many wars to be the one to build His temple. For this reason, God was choosing Solomon to be the builder.

Because of his continued great love for God, David understood the Lord’s decision. But He still wanted to help his young son with this monumental task. So David organized the delivery of huge quantities of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, stone, onyx, turquoise, and marble, along with the craftsman to work with these materials. David also turned to all of Israel, urging them to help in the project. Leaders and families gave willingly, and David rejoiced praising the Lord for all the gifts He had given them.

David’s positions in life included lowly shepherd boy, mighty king, fierce warrior, architect of Jerusalem, devoted husband, and loving father to name a few. But each of those positions happened in a certain frame of time. They were not constant. What was constant was David’s love for God. He thought, sought, and fought for God.

In return, God blessed David until his dying day, with David acknowledging all glory to God.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:1-6