With economies failing and currencies on the verge of collapse and immorality increasing and escalating is the Government leader out there in the White House in Washington or in Downing Street, London, who will have the courage to bow before the Lord God Almighty and seek His Word and His ways and His guidance?
When David was King of Israel he exercised such powerful leadership and had his weaknesses and sins forgiven and his vulnerabilities transformed into strengths.
Near the end of his life we read of his final words, and then the writer refers to that time, before David succeeded to the throne, when King Saul was hunting him and David was in hiding in a cave with a band of men.
The details are given us in the second book of Samuel in the Old Testament part of the Bible at Chapter 23. Reading it and studying it and learning its lessons always produce rich rewards.
From verse 8, we read about David's mighty men, and these men were leaders under the leadership of the King and they must have been around David for thirty or so years.
Eleazar fought for so long a time that his hand became cramped or clamped to his sword. This is stick ability and faithfulness in your service of the king. He would not let go. He would not give up until the job was done. Have you ever written and written until your hand became sore? Years ago that used to happen when sitting three hour examinations at Edinburgh University. This man kept on fighting until victory was his.
Shammah defended a field of lentils, or a field of beans. What is a field of beans? Why not let the enemy have it? Some would say, "I am not risking my life for that", but he did and was victorious.
David was in the cave of Adullum. This was in his early days while being hunted.
David longs for some of Bethlehem's water. Was he thirsty, or was he homesick for Bethlehem?
Was he in such despair that he just wanted to return to the shepherding?
Three of David's men heard him, and risked their lives to go to the well at Bethlehem for the water which the king wanted.
These men wanted to serve the king.
You will do anything, and take many risks when your heart is set on serving the king.
These men were committed to the king. They were devoted to David.
We serve Jesus Christ, the son of David, the Son of God. Mighty men know what the King wants.
They carried that water back to David, and he realised the risk they had taken. He was aware of what they had done, and he could not accept this for himself, and he poured it out as a sacrificial offering to Almighty God.
What they did made David worship! Do we do things that make others worship? Her Majesty the Queen in her amazing Christmas Day broadcast in December moved and inspired many to worship! Do get hold of her five minute broadcast if you possibly can. It is on the Internet.
Details of a few of David's other men are recorded, and they were faithful in their service to the king. They were incredibly brave. They did exploits.
There are lessons which flow from David's life which these men must have learned at that time, or later when they finally moved to Jerusalem.
These men would see a man who was so free and desirous of praising God.
They would see that his strength came from God.
They saw a man who enquired of the Lord and who sought God in prayer.
They saw a man who knew how to confess his sin, and have his sin forgiven, and be raised up from the miry clay and have his feet set upon a rock.
David influenced many and continues to influence many.
God had made a Covenant with David. That is why these words are so reassuring and comforting.
Sandy Shaw
Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu. He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org/ entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column. His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.
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