How do we learn to grieve in a way where it leads us to become more like Jesus? As we persevere through our grief and allow our grief to bless us, in time, God will enlarge our souls and grow us to become more like Him.
Catastrophe and suffering are great revealers of the heart and can either bring out the best or worst in us…. it can reveal a heart of Ziklag or a heart of Brook Besor. God looks for what kind of work we will allow Him to do in our hearts. He knew he could trust David to follow Him faithfully through difficult times and even through his own failures. Can God Safely Trust You to Be Generous?
“Wilderness” 1 Sam 23-24
The miracle found in this account of David is the beauty of a heart changed by God. Why does this matter? People who are marked by a heart of beauty are more postured to experience a fullness of God and are able to love others deeply.
The gospel is about actual people, real pain, actual trouble, actual sin, you and me, what you have done, what I have done. It is so easy to lose this focus, to let the gospel blur into general pronouncements, cosmic opinions, and religious indignation. David became spiritually blind.
Today we’ll explore one of the most famous passages of Scripture! It contains great action and an incredible victory by the under-dog. God uses David, a young shepherd boy, to step up and fight the 9-foot tall giant named Goliath and rescue the nation of Israel. This is a pretty familiar story but we can ask for a fresh perspective. Let's marvel as we watch David see what others do not see. "When we see Jesus for who HE is, our enemies and fears fade. It’s my hope we will see the places in our lives where we are giving in to fear and cowering in the face of giants. Instead we must shift our gaze and praise to God– who is so much bigger!" - Lori Heil
“Work”/1 Sam 16:14-23
Eugene Peterson once said, “If we are to get the most out of the Jesus story, we must first look to get all out of the David story.” The David story serves to train us in the seeing, accepting, and participating in the miracles hidden in the ordinary of life. But the David story never skips the ordinary everyday aspects of humanity. At the same time, there is never a doubt that God is at the center of the plot, and is always present with David as he is with you and me…(though at times he is silent and hidden). The David story is a deep dive into our own humanity, a deep dive into ourselves!
