Blogs

I am currently a Children’s Ministry Associate at my church, and I teach two different services on Sundays. In the middle of teaching, I get to go to service and take some time to be filled. However, I sometimes do not get to enter service until twenty to thirty minutes after it has started because I work with the ninos who can sometimes be unpredictable (but I love them like crazy). When I get to service, I have so many things running through my head about what the children pointed out about our lesson, what a leader shared with me, and so on. For this reason, I am not always focused on or able to absorb what the pastor is sharing. However, this past Sunday, something I have known hit me even harder. Our pastor challenged us by stating that we often run to the Lord and proclaim God’s goodness when things are going the way we want them to, but we should proclaim His goodness even when we feel like we want to give up (heyo, I am totally guilty of this).

David is one of my favorite Bible characters. I love that even at a young age, he boldly stepped forward to face a 9-foot-tall giant who “defied the armies of the living God” (1 Samuel 17:36b ESV). David’s confidence was not in himself, but fully in God. While trying to convince Saul to put him at the front line, David shared with Saul that God had delivered both the lion and bear into David’s hands (17:37). Moving forward into David’s face-off with Goliath, David courageously proclaimed his faith that God had already won the battle. “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head…For the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hand” (17:46, 47b). I do not know about you, but when I read this bold proclamation, chills run down my arms.

I love David’s daring faith in God’s power and humble leadership as King of Israel. Although David was such a mighty leader for the Kingdom, he also wrestled. After committing adultery with Bathsheba, David killed her husband Uriah. Because of his selfish actions, God afflicted David and Bathsheba’s baby who died on the seventh day after being born. During this week, David fasted and laid on the ground at night. After his child passed, David rose, washed and anointed himself, and went to worship (2 Samuel 12). Wait what, He WORSHIPED after the death of his son?!

This stands out to me so much because as David’s infant was sick, David sought the Lord. When David’s child died, David sought the Lord. Through the season of being a shepherd when he was younger to God’s anointing and favor as King, to losing a child due to sin, David’s view and pursuit of God never changed. David was always a man after God’s own heart—in every season of life. If you look at the book of Psalm (it’s one of my fav books, and a must read!!) it is so evident that David’s eyes were fixed on God alone as he shares his deep desire and hunger for more of God.

God has really been working on my heart and drawing me to become completely and fully dependent on Him alone whether I am on a spiritual high, or way down deep in the dumps. I am so encouraged and also seriously challenged by David’s bold faith, worshiper’s heart, and eagerness to pursue God’s presence in seasons of blessings and seasons of wrestling.

While taking this past sermon and David’s crazy, radical faith and applying it to today, I am encouraged and challenged to pray for strength to seek Christ in everything. Through the good, bad, and straight up ugly, His character remains the same, and HE IS GOOD.

I love music so much, and one song that I keep being reminded of is “Ever Be” by Kalley Heiligenthal. The lyrics illustrate that God is our strength, restorer, pursuer, and His praise will always be on our lips. If you have not heard it, I would highly recommend listening to it!

My prayer and encouragement to you would be to be in constant pursuit of His presence every day, in every season of life. Marinate in the Word and pour your heart out to Him. You will start to see His hand and faithfulness in it all. We serve a BIG and MIGHTY God y’all, who is worthy of our praise no matter what we are going through.