Blessings in the desert

King David is probably the most well known old testament King. You've likely heard the story of David and Goliath and might even remember when God spoke these famous words to the prophet Samuel telling him David was to be the next king of Israel:

"The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." - I Samuel 16:7

The Lord's words to Samuel are awesome for us today because they remind us that the Lord doesn't care what we look like or how we are viewed by others - he cares about the heart.

David is repeatedly referred to in scripture as a man after God's own heart and it is clear from reading the book of 1 Samuel that he held great favor in the eyes of the Lord. But this favor did not exempt him from experiencing great trials as well. We usually think of David as a king who had it made in the shade but this is far from the truth. While he did in fact defeat Goliath, route the Philistines and become a legend for his conquests on the battle field, David's life was far from a walk in the park. As his fame grew so did the degree of contempt towards him held by the current King, Saul. Because of this, David, God's appointed man, was forced to spend years as a fugitive before he ever took the throne. Did this mean that God had forsaken David? Not at all. Even while David was living in the desert caves and traveling from country to country, he was still God's man. God's blessing and his favor does not rest on our circumstances nor is it negated by tough times. Rather, God uses these times to prepare you for the future blessings he has in store. God used David's experiences in the desert to make him a better king, leader, father, and friend. He is doing the same with you and I.