Pastor Bob

Yesterday was an amazing day. Early in the morning I was introduced to my new student nurse. As I got to know here, I found out that her husband and her are on-fire-for-God Christians. Praise God. Then another nursing student stopped by because she found out I was a Christians. I met a number of people throughout the day and then to cap it off, my evening nurse was a Pentecostal Christian from India. Is my God in control or what? I felt like Elijah did after he told God that he was the only one serving God and God finally told him to get back to work and “By the way, I have 7000 others that haven’t bowed to Baal.” It is so encouraging to see that others are living for God around you and close to you. We are not serving God alone.

On another note, I found out that I can go outside. So yesterday and today I took a walk outside. It was very encouraging to leave the hospital ward after a week. It was a beautiful walk around the U of Penn campus by the hospital. Praise God.

We Americans hate to wait. We want fast food at home cooked in the microwaves and spend fortunes on fast food joints rather than taking the time to enjoy a meal. That’s the way it is in America. However, as much as we want to, we can’t rush God. Continuing with the story of David, we see in 1 Samuel 24, that David had the chance to take matters in his own hands and kill King Saul. Look what he says to Saul after he spares Saul’s life ,

“May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.  As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”

Dave was given multiple chances to take Saul’s life but he didn’t strike back. Wow. Notice in his statement that he left things in the Lord’s hands. That is hard to do when things don’t happen as fast as we want them to happen. We get impatient and try to force things to happen. But God has a calling on all of us for something. He designed us to be good at certain things and the struggles is getting to the place that we think we should be.

Look at David’s life. The prophet Samuel anointed him king. But David went back to taking care of sheep. What happens next is kind of funny in David’s life. King Saul needed someone to calm his nerves so through a series of events ended up with David playing his harp for him. All those cold nights under the stars playing his harp to calm the sheep paid off. He got a new job working for the king.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a full-time job and David went back to taking care of stinking sheep. Then the whole Goliath thing happen and David now has his picture on the front of People Magazine. There he is holding Goliath’s sword and his head. (yuk) David is on top of the world. He now leads his own troops, ends up marrying the king daughter, is winning battles for the king. Life is good.

Unfortunately, King Saul is jealous and you know the story David runs for his life. For years he runs for his life. It was a difficult time for him. “What about the anointing by Samuel? God said I would be king and I am living in a cave leading a bunch of misfits.” (my words-I have a vivid imagination) But David learned the many lessons that God had for him during the waiting. He learned obedience, courage, faithfulness, loyalty, etc. He learned not to hold to things and valued people more.

What is the lesson for us? Do what you know to do but learn in the waiting for God’s direction. Don’t try to force things. God bless you. Pastor Bob