The Set-Up
My favorite Bible stories are the ones that tell of King David’s life. The man who would become Israel’s greatest king and a man after God’s own heart started as an easily dismissed shepherd boy. In fact, when God sent a prophet to anoint the next king of Israel, David’s father didn’t even mention that David existed. He paraded his other sons in front of the prophet, but only when God said none of those sons was the right one, did he decide to mention David. At that moment, David was anointed as the next king of Israel. The only problem though was that Israel already had a king – King Saul.
Time and time again, God showed His favor for David. Eventually, this became too much for Saul, and jealousy overtook the king. He threatened David’s life, forcing David to flee into exile. But throughout his exile, David stayed faithful to God and His promises. Most of the psalms are written by David, many written during his time of exile. These psalms overflowed with depression and sorrow as David struggled to understand what God was doing, but, repeatedly, David chooses to praise God and trust that He will right all wrongs.
David eventually did become king, decades after he was first anointed. Under his rule, Israel flourished, both financially and spiritually.
There are so many things wrong in this world. We see evil every day. We witness unspeakable violence, wars, and unjust politicians. There are times when life is so incredibly hard and seems unfair, times when we question what God is doing. Is He even aware of what is happening? Does He even care?
Like the believers in Corinth, we need to trust that one day Jesus will claim victory over all things. Paul tells us that there will come a day when Jesus will humble all His enemies, defeating them – even death. Everything will be brought under His authority.
God does care about us, so much so that He allowed Christ to die for us. He cares about what happens to us. Throughout Scripture, God shows Himself as a God who is passionate about the treatment of His people. Every wrong we’ve endured, every unfair decision made against us, will be brought to His judgment. Until then, we can follow King David’s example and find comfort in knowing that God will fulfill all His promises.
Passage to Read
Reflection Questions
Have you ever questioned whether or not God sees you and your struggles? What did that feel like? How did you work through that experience?
How can trusting that one day Jesus will bring all things under His authority help you today?
Paul says that Jesus will humble all His enemies. What reaction do you have to that? Does it encourage you, scare you, shock you, etc.?
Prayer Idea
Praise God for His righteousness and goodness. Because He is righteous, we can trust Him to make just judgments, and because He is good, we can trust that He cares for us and does not seek to harm us. If you are struggling today, ask God to help you see an example of His goodness and help you trust in His plan.
This devotional was written by Tonya Snodgrass