Skip to main content

You've Got it All - Now What

Most of us probably did this when we younger before reality seemed to set in and life got hard.  But let's step back from today's tough reality and take a few minutes to dream.  Imagine this situation:  You've just been reminded of your many great accomplishments and victories in life, all the obstacles you've overcome and the battles you've won.  You're the CEO of your business or the king of your empire, well respected in all that you do.  You have a home where you and your family can live comfortably.  And you have rest or peace, physically from enemies, as well as mentally and emotionally.  Then to top it all off, you've been assured that your children will have a good life and your legacy will be one of great respect.  Nice day, huh.  

Well that's precisely the situation that David found himself in in 2 Samuel 7.  He was the undisputed king of Israel, he had begun building a great palace, planned to build a temple, and was constructing other grand buildings.  He had received all he could have wished for earthly and even his desires for his children's future and his legacy had been promised by God.  David had reached the top of his mountain.  He was "da man."

Honestly, it would be understandable if David had been overly confident and even cocky given all that he had overcome and accomplished in his life.  But he wasn't.  David was well aware of a fact that each one of us should be aware of as well - all that he had done and all he achieved was because God had been with him.  David was humble because he knew that all God had given and all God had promised was more than he deserved.  He didn't respond to the Lord with an attitude of entitlement and expectation.  Rather he prayed, "Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far?"  (2 Samuel 7:18)

While we will never receive the prophecy that David did of the Savior of the world descending from our family tree, we are invited to be members of that family, of Christ's eternal kingdom by the grace and love of God.  

Be humble - Understand and appreciate that all you are, all that you have, and all you've done is not by your work or talent alone, but by the grace of God. 

Be hungry - David did not become king and reach his mountaintop by doing nothing.  He sought God's will, followed God's will, and had to work and overcome many hardships to make it.

Rest - God promised rest to David for a reason.  We are all called to work and to work hard.  But there comes a point and a time where we need to rest and recover and allow God to prepare the way for us.  Don't be afraid to take a break, but don't let rest become your routine.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

2020 is Hindsight...Finally!

Wow, what a year! 2020 could literally be an entire decade, maybe more, of history, change, and lessons rolled up into these twelve months. While many aspects of 2020 were kind of sucky and we would like to forget them, it will certainly be a year to remember. And it will be enlightening when this year is looked back on in 10, 25, or 50 years to be discussed. I wonder if we'll seem like geniuses or idiots? Probably both to some extent! While there is so much that I could consider and analyze about this year, I'll try to break some of it down into four dimensions - Physical, Spiritual, Mental, and Social/Emotional. These are events and happenings from my world and perspective and I'm trying to be open in sharing and would love to hear from others on events you found most transforming. Physical When COVID cause gyms to close, that messed me up. Our town and state were late to be hit with severe cases and therefore later than many across the country to close up shop. I'm n...

Planes Fly in the Sky

Let me be very honest and candid about this - when I first read about the proposed airplane tax cut, I was not happy (just say it, I was mad!).  I thought that it was ludicrous to consider cutting tax revenue while counties are already struggling due to decreased sales and collections of local taxes.   However, unlike many people in today's culture, I didn't take to social media to start talking about how stupid the idea was and how much I disagreed with.  Instead, I started doing some research.  I looked up some information, asked some questions, had some conversations, and I learned some things. This was important for me to understand because I own a boat (I consider planes and boats luxury items) and pay Union County property taxes.  However, that boat hasn't been in Union for years.  It's housed and operated in a neighboring county.  There's not even anywhere that I can safely and legally operate my boat on public property in Union, yet I stil...

2020 Books

  I mentioned previously on Facebook that I'd share the books I've read in 2020 in case anyone is looking for a new read. Plus I figure this post can serve as one for friends to share some that they've enjoyed this past year as well. How to Win Friends and Influence People - Andrew Carnegie. This is a good book about personal development, relationships, etc. Vertical Marriage - Dave & Ann Wilson. Based on the title, obviously this was a book on marriages. While you'll see a few others on this list, this one was one of my favorites. How to Get Promoted - Anthony Park. Sorry boss! The worst part is I read this AFTER my annual review lol. It is good for people just getting their career started or working in larger corporations where you can get lost in the shuffle. The Power of Positive Thinking - Norman Vincent Peale. Great book on personal development. Leadership in Turbulent Times - Doris Kearns Goodwin. This book chronicles the life of 4 presidents, Lincol...