19 April | EVERYONE
«Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. And the period that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and thirty-three years he reigned in Jerusalem. So he died in a good old age, full of days and riches and honor; and Solomon his son reigned in his place.» 1 Chronicles 29:26-28
We will all die. Sooner or later. No one escapes death. David was no exception, as we have just read. He, however, had a blessed ending. Still, his life was not always a bed of roses. He was born into the family of a man of God named Jesse. He had seven siblings and an early life in contact with nature, where he learned to worship and depend on God. But time passes and so do circumstances. David became king of Israel. And as king, he was involved in some of the most shameful incidents of that nation.
He fell incredibly low: adultery, lying, political intrigue, murder, injustice, abuse of power. His life was a cocktail of sins. If you compare David’s sins with those of his predecessor, King Saul, you will see that, from a moral point of view, David’s sins were worse. But if you read the story, you will see that God reproved Saul and took away the kingdom from Him, but He did not do the same with David. Why? Favoritism? No. The explanation is in the heart.
David repented, wept over his sins, humbled himself before God, corrected his ways, and finally “died in a good old age.”
Blessed is the Lord who forgets your sins once you confess them. Jesus died on the cross, not only to forgive you, but to give you the opportunity to remake your ways and eventually die in a good old age.
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You have a lifetime to enjoy God’s company. However long it lasts, He will be by your side to laugh and cry with you at every opportune moment, to help you get up when you fall, and to take you by the hand until the end of your days.