Lions and Tigers and Bears!

The 5/10 verse for today is from 2 Sam 5:10, "And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him."  (NIV)

I've come to realize that God raises people up and, likewise, allows people to fall.  Few people are humble enough to be able to handle God-given authority.  Some, like King David in the above scripture, are clearly out of their element by outward appearances, yet God sees their thoughts and motives.  God sees their hearts. 

When David was young he was considered somewhat unimportant; he tended sheep and fought off lions and tigers and bears!  Well, really, just lions and bears, but it appears that he would have fought off anything that threatened harm to the sheep he was responsible for.  With God's help, David was able to kill the giants in his life and he gained notoriety among important people.  He became friends with the king's son, but the king became jealous of this audacious young whipper-snapper and set out to kill David.  Yet, God was with David and made him victorious against evil plots, time and time again.

The Book of Psalms in the Old Testament is thought to be penned, largely, by David.  It's real and it's raw.  There are times of praise and worship, and times of sin and sorrow, that are both poetic and poignant.  David was not perfect by any means, but he is often referred to as a man after God's own heart.  God saw David's heart, sought out David, and was with David. 

There are a few characters in the bible that remind me of my husband.  The Apostle Paul is one of them; David is another.  The reason he reminds me of David is not because he is at all powerful, but because of his heart.  I've watched God put him in the middle of bible scholars who have spent years studying the bible.  Many have suggested that he doesn't have enough finesse, skill, training or experience to be of influence.  What really excites me is that he doesn't!  But God sees his heart and is with him. 

From outward appearances, Bill, like David, appears to be way out of his element, but, alas, God is with him.  He guards his sheep and fights off the lions, tigers, and bears that threaten them.  He's still slaying giants and he's still not perfect, but he continues to be a man after God's own heart, as he praises and worships God.  Just like David in the Psalms, he's real and he's raw.  I have to smile, because I find that rather poetic and poignant.