In the last write-up, we uncovered some profound truths about David. One of the most striking was that while Saul pursued him in the wilderness, David’s greatest concern was not the harsh conditions he faced, but the absence of God’s presence. He longed to worship in the designated place in Israel. Scripture after scripture reveals that what David desired above all else was the presence of God.
In Psalm 63:1, written from the wilderness of Judah, he cried out:
O God, you are my God; I will seek you diligently.
My soul thirsts for you; my flesh longs for you
as in a dry and weary land without water.
This longing shows us that David’s survival depended entirely on communion with God. In verse 6 of the same psalm, he says that he remembers God on his bed and meditates on Him during the night watches. Similarly, in Psalm 42:1, David illustrates this hunger vividly:
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
Just like a deer cannot survive without water, David could not live without God’s presence. He was ready to pay any price to remain before the Lord.
I recall an experience in 1997 while preaching the gospel on the streets. I passed by a mini grocery store when a man came running, shouting in Yoruba: “Efun mi ni St. Morris, mi ti mu siga lati aro!”—“Give me St. Morris; I haven’t smoked since morning!” St. Morris is a popular brand of cigarette in Nigeria. The man grabbed several sticks, smoking them in desperation, panting as though quenching an unbearable thirst.
That scene left me reflecting deeply: Do we thirst for God in the same way? Do we rush into His presence when we miss our quiet time? Do we feel restless when days or weeks go by without opening His Word?
David’s life gives us a model. After Absalom rebelled against him and drove him from the palace, David faced humiliation and exile. This was a consequence of his sin concerning Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Samuel 10–11). As he fled, Zadok the priest carried the ark of the covenant to follow him. But when David saw the ark, he said:
2 Samuel 15:25
Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, He will bring me back and let me see it and His dwelling place again.”
David recognized that he had missed God. He knew the ark symbolized God’s presence, and he humbled himself, trusting God’s mercy to restore him. Unlike David, Absalom cared nothing for the ark—his obsession was the throne.
This contrast teaches us a vital truth:
A heart not connected to the ark will make a mess of the throne.
David’s heart longed more for God’s presence than for earthly power. That is why, even in failure, God called him “a man after His own heart.”
Action Point – Prayer
Lord, I want to desire nothing more than Your presence. Let it become my daily priority, my greatest treasure, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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