“When God who set me apart from birth and called me by His grace.”—Galatians 1:15, NIV
In his book, Why Grace Changes Everything, Pastor Chuck Smith wrote, “God has a special work for each of us to do and it is necessary that all of us be prepared for that work. Many of us will spend the majority of our lives in preparation…We may be going through difficult trials, but hardships are necessary. God wants to develop in us the characteristics that will enable us to fulfill His plan for us.”
David, the Goliath fighter and king of Israel, was no longer a kid. By the time he finished fighting the wars that would unite his kingdom, he was close to forty years old.
From the Psalms David wrote during lulls between battles and lonely nights in the caves, we can tell that he spent time reflecting and contemplating.
The significance of David’s mature life would lie in his relationship with the Lord. The greatness of David was his desire to fulfill God’s plan, and his ability to be satisfied with whatever God had for him.
Whether called to be a king or a courtyard servant, whatever position we find ourselves, if we ask God to fulfill His purposes, we will be satisfied. In the will of the Lord, satisfaction, service, and significance are waiting for us.
“Blessed are those You choose…We are filled with the good things of your house,” David prayed (Psalm 65:4, NIV).
Many, many times David asked God to order his steps and reveal His plan.
“Teach me Your ways,” he implored in Psalm 27.
“You are my God. My times are in Your hands”(Psalm 31:14,15). David sought the Lord for strength and direction.
“My voice You shall hear in the morning,” he promised (Psalm 5:3). Daily, he sought the Lord’s will for his life.
The apostle Paul wrote, “When God set me apart from birth and called me by His grace… my immediate response was not to consult any human being”(Galatians 1:15-16).
He called me by His grace. In the years ahead, David would encounter the challenges of ruling a kingdom, not the least being his own weakness against temptation.
David was called by the grace of God. He knew that “he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him”(Psalm 32:10). He could be nothing greater than God allowed him to be.
With every breath and heartbeat, he would need to live by the grace of God to fulfill God’s purposes. As do we all.
