April 20, 2020
Then it came about afterwards that David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” and the LORD said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” and He said, “To Hebron.” … and David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron. Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David king over the house of Judah. (2 Samuel 2:1, 3-4)
God is waiting to lead us. Most people do not recognize this. Thinking they can handle life on their own, they make decisions all day long without the slightest attention to God. And the results are disastrous. It is nothing but pride that causes this ignoring of God.
A PRAYING LEADER
Of all the things King David of Israel was, he was foremost a man of prayer. The bulk of the Psalms penned by David are prayers. After the death of Saul the Scripture records the first steps of the new leader were guided by prayer.
If you will search the Bible you will discover that this was not a momentary crisis response, but the habitual pattern of David’s life. “David inquired of the Lord” is a phrase repeated nine times in Scripture.
He learned this early. As a shepherd boy he relied on God’s strength to kill the lion and the bear. Fueled by these experiences, he trusted God in his first public act of leadership, overcoming a giant of a soldier with nothing but a slingshot. David’s weapons were not physical, but spiritual, for he won this battle by faith.
Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands … and all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:45-47)
Where you find a man of faith, you will find a man of prayer. For prayer is the outworking of faith. A dependent man looks to God for direction. A proud man is prayerless.
A REWARDING GOD
God honors men who depend upon Him. Study the early life of the young King David. You will find him overwhelmed with the magnitude of his task and continually crying out to God for leadership. His dependence allowed God Himself to lead through him.
Our families, our churches, our businesses, our nation need God. In the economy of God, He has ordained a path to lead each of these through those who will look to Him. Those who will “inquire of the Lord.” This should not be a momentary act, or a crisis response, but an unceasing, running dialogue throughout the day. “Lord, I don’t know how to lead my family, love my wife, faithfully serve others, handle my finances … so Father, what do I do?”
God loves men and women who live through prayerful faith for this is the way He created us to live. He will reward them with His direction. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you,” He says, (Psalm 32:8). And this direction is as specific as needed.
So David said, “Where shall I go up?” and He said, “To Hebron.”
God knows He can trust men and women who will look to Him. He exalted David to a position of leadership because He found in David a man after His own heart. If you want to be entrusted by God with leadership in His kingdom then do as the writer of Proverbs instructs.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him (pray!) and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6, parenthesis added)
Father, forgive me for my pride and independence. For all the times I fail to inquire of You. Lord, I need You. I am foolish and blind without Your leadership. Help me to make prayer my first response, not my last resort. Teach me to pray without ceasing about everything, all the time so that You may lead through me for Your glory.
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