“Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.” Psalm 73:25
It is in studying the lives of the great men and women of faith who have preceded us, that we discover the common threads, and secrets, of their devotion to God, but more so, His dealings with them to bring them to faith. The study of the man David, whose entrance upon the scene of history reveals he, as a boy was a shepherd of sheep. By God’s intervention, and this because God sees not as man sees, but looks at the heart of an individual, David was chosen as a boy to become the king of Israel. He was anointed by the prophet Samuel according to God’s command, and from that day forward was distinguished by the work of the Spirit of God in and through his life. He would go on, not only to serve in the King’s court, but would kill the Philistine, Goliath. He would then learn the difficult lessons of rejection and persecution, as he would be driven into hiding by the very king that he had been serving. Fleeing for his life, rejected by many as an enemy, he would begin to learn well the ways of God, and how to meet God, and know that God would meet him. He would eventually rise to the place of King over all Israel, there to become a great king, setting the stage for the coming of the “Son of David,” Christ Himself, many years later. The Scriptures are filled with the mention of David, his exploits, his successes, and also his failures. But at the center of what is revealed of this man is one dominating passion that he had. It was to know God, Christ. God had revealed himself to David’s heart because he was a man who would do all the will of God. In that revelation was something so captivating, worthy, and lovely, that David was ruined forever for all that was less than the knowledge of God. We see the same thing in the Apostle Paul when he wrote to the Philippians over a thousand years later: “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.: (3:8) But what was the key for David, and the Apostle Paul? What was it that made God so very real, regardless of the circumstance? It was what they saw in the worship of God, in Christ.
In Psalm 27, we find embedded a prayer of David. He writes down his words to the Lord: “One thing have I desired of Thee, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple.” (v.4) He will go on to speak of “times of trouble,” and the abandonment by his family, and his personal needs when faced with enemies, and fainting in his heart, then to know the saving strength of Christ to him. The key to all was the vision that he had of Christ, and His “beauty.” This beauty was far more than words could describe, for in that sight was God in His glory, omnipotence, power and love, goodness and grace. Out of that vision was born faith in the faithfulness of God. The perception of Christ in His holiness, mercy, and strength, was the essential element to his overcoming faith.
In Psalm 37, we find where David went even further in his pursuit of God, for there he writes of “delighting” himself in the Lord, setting his affections on Christ, rejoicing in Him for all that He was, and is. Out of that act and attitude of loving God came the working of God to give him the desires of God, of Christ, to be his own. God’s desires, high and holy, would become those of David, to lift him and his kingdom up. This is the true knowledge of God revealed.
Dear Father, Give us Thy desires. In Jesus’ name, Amen.