Be As Faithful As King David?

2 Chronicles 7:17
“As for you, if you walk before me faithfully as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws,

God tells King Solomon during the dedication of the temple that he will bless him. God tells Solomon that he only needs to be as faithful as his father King David was. Be as faithful as King David?

Be as faithful as King David? King David, who was peeping at a naked bathing woman, 2 Samuel 11:1? King David, who committed adultery with Bathsheba, 2 Samuel 11:4? King David, who killed a man in order to get his wife, 2 Samuel 11:14-15? Be as faithful as King David?

King David, who was reluctant to repent of such a grievous sin, Psalm 32:3-4? King David, who pretended before the man of God prophet Nathan that he would not allow injustice in his kingdom, yet he had just killed a man for his wife, 2 Samuel 12:5-7? King David who had to be exposed for him to repent, 2 Samuel 12:13? Be as faithful as King David?

King Solomon knew all these about the father King David. Yet God tells him to be as faithful as King David was. What is God telling King Solomon? How does God define faithfulness? Would our present-day churches and their self-righteous leaders and members ever consider King David as an example to give to the children? Would they forgive King David, if he repented as he did in Psalm 51? Could we be masquerading like our definition and perception of faithfulness is better than God’s? Do we reach a point we start acting better than God? Isn’t God disappointing many people by giving David as an example of faithfulness? Be as faithful as King David?

Did King David’s wives consider him a faithful husband? Did Joab who executed his evil plans consider David a faithful man? Did the workers who brought Bethsheba for the adultery session consider David a faithful man? Did Nathan who did the expose consider David a faithful man? Well does it matter what all of them think? God told Solomon, of all the faithful people I want you to emulate, it is King David. Not his wives who may have accused him of unfaithfulness and masqueraded as faithful. Not Joab. Not the eavesdropping and rumourmongering servants. Not even Nathan the prophet who exposed the scandal. God considered King David most faithful and worth emulating. Be as faithful as King David?

What is God telling us church people who accuse drunkards and prostitutes every day of being evil? What is God telling us church people who condemn corruption in government? What is God telling us church people who gossip about the failures of others and their challenges? Do you realize God can send you for attachment to learn something from the people you condemn? Be as faithful as King David?

Some people may be worshipping wrong gods and idols but they have more faithfulness to the falsehood than we have to the truth. They do not fundraise to build their temples and shrines, but we are ever fundraising for our churches yet we earn lots of money. Wouldn’t God send us to them to learn something? Some people follow the wrong doctrines within us and outside of us, but do you realize how aggressive they are with their lies? They can preach in streets and public transport, yet we who believe the truth can’t pray for food in a restaurant. Wouldn’t God send us to them to learn something or two? Be as faithful as King David?

With David as an example, then the best relationships and marriages to learn from are not these pretentious parades every weekend in church. With David as an example, we have to be humble and treat everyone as worthy before God. With David as God’s example of faithfulness, we should read and apply the scripture that says do not judge others, Matthew 7:1. Be as faithful as King David?

God was also demonstrating how forgiving He is. He forgives and forgets. If you confess and repent, God forgives and forgets. We too should forgive and forget. God forgave David and they moved on. Be as faithful as King David!

David fell spiritually but he was faithful enough to keep rising. When you fall please rise up. Even if your scandal is the talk of the town, rise up. A new talk of the town will soon overshadow that talk. No fall should be permanent, that is what God tells us by saying David was faithful. David refused to fall permanently. Mistakes happen, do not stay down. Brave the shame and embarrassment. It will pass, it won’t last. No news remains permanently breaking news, it will soon be replaced. Like David rise up from your fall.

If you make it your lifestyle to rise when you fall, you will be a very successful person. If you fall academically you do not remain down, you rise. If you fall in your relationships, you don’t get angry and remain single, you rise again. If you fall in your employment or business, you collect yourself and rise again. Many people fall and never rise out of shame and easily giving up. Just rising will put you in the league of the few and successful. When you fall, do not remain down, rise!

Cling to God throughout your journey. If you fall cling on God. If God promises you kingship but you find yourself in the wilderness for seven years, do not doubt God, cling on God. David clung out of the throne and while on the throne. David had peace and during peace, he clung to God. David had a crisis like the Absalom crisis, but David remained steadfast on God. David fell but he clung. David rose and he remained clung to God. David was a wicked man, but consistently and notoriously faithful. Be as faithful as King David!

Thank you for this message of hope to us wicked sinners who feel inadequate even compared to other sinners. When we fall may we rise and not remain down. May we bear with others who seem worse than us for they may be according to you God, more faithful than us. May we be as faithful as King David and cling to God at all times, in Jesus’ name, Amen!