Pray 4!

Pray 4!

Psalm 34:18 AMPC

[18] The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent.

We have seen David at his best, as well as at his worst. We have lived through his highs and lows; seen him confront the lion and the bear when no one was watching, and also seen him confront the giant Goliath when the whole world was watching. We also saw him go into adultery with another man's wife, and though no one at the time saw him do this, his own son Absalom went into all his  father's concubines in the view of all of Israel. It must be noted, however, that in all of these things, the word of God records that God did not withdraw His steadfast love from David and his house. We see the way God laid down the kingship of Judah as a lifetime appointment for the house of David, and we also see how the eternal kingdom of Jesus was established through the lineage of David. All of these experiences make you truly wonder at the dealings of God with mortal man. 

The accounts noted above are just a small reflection of the big picture. The verse above does tell us that David was in the camp of the enemy at the time. He was already annointed king of Israel, but he needed time for proper preparation before his season of public manifestation. Saul was looking for him everywhere to kill him, but David keep moving around. At some point, he found himself in Gath, a stronghold of the Philistines, the land of Goliath that he had killed some time ago. Reflect on this: the next king of Israel was a fugitive, running around and hiding in places where he could have been killed. Anointing will not keep you from annoying situations; it is a reminder that you need to keep connected to the source for nourishment and sustenance. Too many times, we are content with flashes of brilliance, but God does not want one-season impact; He wants yielded vessels that can make both earthly and eternal impact. 

That is the encouragement that the verse above gives us. In the land of the enemy, and in the midst of trouble, David knew that God was with Him. In the midst of the pressure, God took pleasure in the man after His own heart. I must note that even under pressure, the verse above suggests that David knew how to catch God's attention. A broken and contrite heart is one that God cannot turn away. A broken heart knows it is wrong, and also knows where to go and who to turn to for restoration. That heart is raw, and if it is not handled properly, it can lead to depression and even suicide. That is why God is near to ALL who call upon Him, but especially to those whose hearts are contrite and in need of His touch of comfort. No matter where you are right now, you have a Father who cares very deeply about you. He is near at all times; just a prayer away. Go to Him, and watch Him work wonders with a surrendered heart. God's time of favour is here.