6. Don’t Get Stuck Trying to Undo the Past
We read that David had a sexual encounter with Bathsheba while she was married to Uriah. If that wasn’t bad enough, he arranged to have Uriah killed when he couldn’t cover up the fact that he had impregnated Uriah’s wife.
As predicted by the Prophet Nathan, because of his sin, David’s first child with Bathsheba fell mortally ill. David prayed to God, fasted, and slept on the ground during the child’s illness. When the child died a week later, however, David was remarkably calm. In response to his servants’ curiosity, David explained: “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me, and the child will live. But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again?”
David knew that his child was gone forever and chose to focus on comforting his wife. There is a time for prayer, a time for mourning, and a time to resume living.
7. Love Your Family Regardless with Agape Love
David suffered tremendously at the hands of his family. His father-in-law, King Saul, hounded him incessantly, and his son Absalom drove him out of Jerusalem – but even as they tried to harm him, he continued to display love to both King Soul and his son them. In fact, even while being pursued by Absalom’s soldiers, David instructed his warriors to be gentle to his wayward son, and he mourned them both after their respective violent deaths.
Regardless of who does what, maintain your family together in the love of God!
8. Remain a Loyal Friend
When David became a member of Saul’s household after winning many victories against the Philistines, he and Jonathan became close friends. … Saul tried to enlist Jonathan’s aid to kill David, but Jonathan remained David’s friend and warned him of Saul’s anger so that David hid.
Jonathan (son of Saul) and David promised that they would keep their friendship and extend it to their children. Time and time again, Jonathan risked his very life to save David from Saul’s evil schemes. Even after Jonathan’s death, David lavished care and attention upon his late friend’s son, Mephibosheth, supporting him financially in Jerusalem.
Lesson to learn: Treasure your friends and especially the ones that God gives you and treat them with loyalty and devotion.
9. Never Give Up – It’s Never Too Late
Throughout David’s career, he suffered from the ill-temper and vengefulness of his captain Yoav. Despite his best attempts, David was never able to rid himself of Yoav. On his deathbed, giving final instructions to Solomon, his son and successor, David asked him to make sure that Yoav would ultimately be punished for his numerous acts of treachery.
Like David, we cannot accomplish everything. Do what you can, ask others to do their part, and let God finish what He started. When things don’t go our way, we need to keep expecting other doors to open.
King David lived a full life and died when he was about 70 years old after having been king for 40 years (2 Samuel 5:4). Before he died, he secured the throne of Israel for his son, Solomon (1 Kings 1-2)
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