"Stuck in the middle with you..."

Random fact about Natalie number 575- sometimes, people will say a phrase that puts a song lyric in my head. They didn't have the song in mind when they said the phrase, it just triggers something in my brain and I spontaneously want to break out in song. Too bad my singing voice isn't so great. Today, in our reading, we are "stuck in the middle" with David.

David was stuck between being king and not being king. Then, he's stuck between ruling Judah and ruling the rest of Israel. He's stuck between two military leaders, Joab and Abner, and he's also stuck between multiple wives. David was obviously a man people were trying to pull in several different directions. I mean, can you imagine the cat fights between all those women? I can only imagine how competitive they were for David's attention! But, David is also stuck smack in the middle between Abraham and Jesus. The old and new covenants.

As we start 2 Samuel, we find David mourning the death of King Saul and his beloved friend Jonathan. Perhaps you made the same mistake as the "messenger" who brought David news of Saul's death, assuming the David would be rejoicing. After all, now he can assume his rightful place on the throne, right?

We are told David was a "man after God's own heart." I think in this scenario, we can see one reason why. David probably recognized what Saul could have been as a leader and mourned his wasted potential as much as his death. David did not look at Saul as a means to his end, but a man who was called by God and as such demanded his respect. He never chose to view Saul as his enemy, or as someone evil to be hated. He didn't let bitterness creep in.

Can we be that forgiving to those who have wronged us? Maybe what they did cost us dearly or caused a delay in something that we had been anticipating a long time. Maybe they let us down. David chose to remember the best about Saul. Can we learn to look for the positive in the people around us, even when they hurt us? God certainly chooses to look for the best in us, over and over again, even after we've let him down.

As the story continues, we see David become King over Judah. He reigned in Judah seven years before he was able to unite all the Israelites and become king over the whole nation. Just to put things in further perspective, it had been fifteen years since Samuel had anointed David as king. He had been stuck in the middle a long time! Often we have to wait for things. David did not become discontent or impatient, he trusted God's timing and was faithful to do his best with what God had already given him. He wan't focused on what he HAD but on what he needed to DO. Are we focused on what God wants us to do, or are we worried about what we have or don't have?

I am not a patient person by nature. Countless sewing, cross stitch and knitting projects have been left unfinished because they took "too long." God certainly has a sense of humor, because my life verse has become Psalm 27:14:

"Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Words from David himself. Beth Moore expounded on this concept at a simulcast I attended several years ago. She stated that the key is not waiting on the Lord to give me ________. Or for the Lord to make _______ happen. The key is waiting on the Lord himself. When we are focused on waiting on God to show up in our lives, we are never left waiting for long. He always arrives. Maybe not like we though He would, but he always arrives.

So..here's to being stuck in the middle! What do we do while we are here? Be obedient to what God is calling us to do today. Have faith in God's promises. Put one foot in front of the other in obedience in the small things. David did, and God used those small steps to shape a great hero. Wait for the Lord. Be strong, take heart, and wait for the Lord.