God’s people – the Israelites – cried out to have a King rule over them.   Just like awkward teenagers, they refused to embrace their uniqueness.  They wanted to be just like everyone else.  Everyone else had a king… why couldn’t they?  Instead of having a loving relationship with their God, they chose the road most traveled.    

Saul, the first anointed King of the Israelites,, the first anointed King of the Israelites, looked good on the outside, but proved to be disobedient and self-willed.  David, the second anointed King,  was a man after God’s own heart.  Scripture reveals to us that the Messiah would come from the line of David, and would ascend to be the Kings of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  Although he began his Kingship well, David’s humanness shined through with his lust for Bathsheba, the wife of one of his top generals, Uriah.  From this relationship, David had a son (King Solomon) who later ruled over Israel.  Even later in life, David’s self-will insisted on instating a census.  Thus, all of the bodied warriors of Israel relied on the flesh rather than on faith in God.  Perhaps this sounds familiar to you: your desire it to take on your own self-will and use your fleshly strengths to solve problems.  Your earthly desire trumps your trust in your relationship with God.  This happens to all faith-centered people.  But thankfully, the God of mercy will forgive you, just as he forgave David.  After David fully repented from his previous ways, his heart remained pure.  1 Kings 11:4: David was fully devoted to the Lord, and this is why he was chosen to be the King from which the Messiah would come.  He truly had a heart for God, but in his humanness, he slipped from time to time.  However, he never lost his desire to love the Lord.  This is where I am inspired.  God knows your heart better than you do.  Even in your daily falls, your heart can still point toward love for your Creator.  

David is one of the most unique people in Scripture.  Once again, God shows the flaws of each character, and through this He shows his love for us, His mercy for us, His desire for us to be in a great relationship with Him.  He is the God of Promise.  He will do what He says, despite what you may do to derail His plan.  When you begin to think that you’ve moved so far away from God that a relationship is impossible, remember this: the Shepherd always comes looking for His herd.  You are God’s sheep.  Scripture tells us that Jesus will leave to find one lost sheep, leaving the other 99 untended, just to bring that one sheep back.
Today, if you are feeling a little out of sorts, unloved or guilty, try opening your heart to the love of God.  Scripture is the love of God through the Holy Spirit.  His love is evident on every page, both through the old testament and the new.  Ask for His grace and His mercy.  These are things we cannot understand in our humanness, but with God, all things are possible.