King David, Sheep Tender (Post #2)

So, let's talk some more about tending those little sheep! I want to check out the life of David this week. I love the life of David! So many ups and downs. So many twists and turns. I've always said David is the closest example in the Bible we have of a hormonal woman! :-) One day he's on top of the world. The next day the world is on top of him! And goodness knows he was never afraid to share with the Lord exactly how he felt!

There are so many lessons from David's life. Chances are, no matter what you are going through or heading to there is something from his life that you can apply to your situation. One of the main things that has spoken to me out of the life of David in regards to our current topic is the fact that after he was anointed to be king he went right back to tending the sheep! Just imagine! He had already been anointed by Samuel as the next king of Israel. The king over God's people. He knew without a doubt that God had incrediblely huge plans for his life. And yet in the midst of all that he went right back to tending the sheep. 

If David was anything like me I can just imagine him thinking, "OK got it, Lord! Now I know what you want me to do. I have this awesome calling on my life. Now what? Now what?" But what was God's direction for this anointed king of Israel? "Go tend your sheep." Personally, I would've been crushed! "Are you kidding me? I'm king of your people! You have these massive plans for me! Surely you have something more important for me to be doing!" But his charge? Tend the sheep! 

Despite the fact that there is an obvious lesson in patience here, let's look at what else was going on during that time. I call this "actively waiting." I don't think this was a mindless time for David. Nor was it wasted time. God used the time in those fields with those little sheep to prepare David for the huge things He had in store for him. Though the anointing and the call on David's life were already in place God had a lot of things to teach him before He could bring him into the fullness of that calling. While tending the sheep, David had a lot of time alone with the Lord. There were plenty of things to distract him like wolves and bears and lions and sheep wondering often and getting lost and having to be searched for and then brought back, but you know that during this season David wrote some of the most powerful, incredible, and inspiring scripture which I pour over almost every morning. David grew in the Lord in mighty ways. It was in those fields where he fought the bear and the lion which he spoke of when facing Goliath. When he stood before that huge giant he had no fear because while he was tending the sheep the Lord showed him His power and gave him strength, ability, and confidence. 

So while you may feel this burning passion inside of you for something more, and you just know there is something better out there, do not forsake this time of tending sheep. Pay attention! God has so much to teach you in the field.