I Samuel 16:22
‘Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.”’
Jesse had to breathe a sigh of relief. He had sent him off with worries. He knew his son was prophesied about to be king. Next David got an invitation out of the blue to serve Saul. Jesse had to fear for his son's life. He most likely feared that if the king had learned of this prophesy, Saul would surely want to exterminate his competition. We're not sure how long it was from when Jesse sent David and the receiving of this message of favor. However long, it must have been a nervous time.
The Lord sent this message to encourage Jesse. It was a message from one father to another, letting him know that He's in control. Fear not. God does this for us as well. He sees us worry. He knows how troublesome our worries can be.
Worry wrecks our days. We could be at a beautiful vacation destination, but worry saps all our joy. All the beauty, comfort and fun are lost. The day to day full life that the Lord gives us isn't appreciated when we worry.
Worry does more than make a bad day. Worry is a prison which causes torment. Like a pebble in a shoe can make a walk painful until its removed, so worry is intolerable. Worry almost feels like a living entity whose purpose is to rid us of joy. Worry is like an actor on a stage who demands attention.
Worry is also bad for our health. Proverbs 14:30 says, "A tranquil heart is life to the body, But passion is rottenness to the bones." This is fully understood in the medical profession. A doctor may refer a patient to receive counseling if one were plagued with worry.
God being the great physician sees our troubled hearts. Jesus speaks right at this issue in Matthew 11:28-30, '"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”'
This verse is an aspect of the glorious gospel. Part of the reason the Lord came to save us is He wanted to relieve our burdens. He is a master at that. Jesse may have been worried sick until the news of this verse arrived. God knew what he needed.
The same is true with us. He sees us in the misery of worry. He knows what it'll take to lift our spirits. He can lift those with a word. He does this randomly, but sometimes He wants to go to Him. This is part of the relationship we have with Him. He wants us to go to Him. The beginning of the earlier verse says, "Come unto Me". We were created to have a relationship with God. Revelation 3:20 gives a beautiful description of that relationship. 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.'
This verse tells us a couple things about that relationship. The first is that He wants to live within us. He is the missing puzzle piece. We pursue many things only to end up empty. Ecclesiastes speaks of the futility of life without God. We were created for the Lord to dwell in us.
The second part of the revelation verse says that He wants to sup with us. Having a meal with friends is a wonderful experience. The fellowship is a fulfilling experience. That's what our relationship with the Lord is to be. Romans 8:16 speaks of the bond our spirit has with God's Spirit, "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God". A union is made which is fulfilling and restful.
Even though the Lord is in us, we can allow worry to eclipse God's peace. Our relationship with God is active. It needs to be attended to. Just like a garden needs to be weeded and watered, so we are to go to God daily. Part of the Lord's Prayer says, "Give us our daily bread". The manna from Moses' time didn't last for more than a day, but had to be gotten each morning.
As we go though our days we collect worry and frustration. We are to go to Him for relief and feeding. The situation we are concerned about might not be resolved, but He'll reassure us that He's got us. The old song has the verse, "I've got peace like a river in my soul". That's what the Lord does for us.
Jesse received the hopeful message that put him at ease. The Lord will send those to us as well. He can also give us peace while we're waiting. Lord, thank You for Your peace and thank You for the hopeful messages You send. The bond that You seek to have with us is peaceful in itself. Thank You!