WHO WILL YOU BE LIKE?
A song I wrote, called Saul or David, contrasts the lives of these men, the first two Kings of Israel. It is meant to encourage believers to come into “maturity” in their faith. It is especially directed at those who are in leadership or ministry positions, reminding them that a leader “must follow” in order to “lead”.
There is no room for a “self-made man” in God’s agenda. One must always recognize who they are (a mere man) versus who God is (the ultimate authority over them).
If you are unfamiliar with Saul and David, pick up your bible for the most interesting reading ever, and go to First Samuel. Just keep reading until you yourself can contrast these two kings and their relationship to God.
In particular, note their response to God’s authority over their own.
I’ve typed my song lyrics below, which I believe came directly from the Holy Spirit. As you please follow along with the lyrics, you will see the contrasts between these two men that both started out chosen of God. But one man failed God (yes, we can do that) and one man pleased God.
Here is the link, and I encourage you to listen and view lyrics from the song page; but if unable to, I’ve typed the lyrics here in this chapter as well, so you don’t miss out.
Saul or David – Elizabeth Ann Smith – Receive From Me
SAUL OR DAVID
We can be like Saul, or we can be like David…
We live as kings, unto ourselves, or unto the Lord.
God can use us before and after our falls…
If we live, not unto ourselves, but unto the Lord.
Saul was a man who was seen as grand in the eyes of the natural man
David, on the other hand, was invisible to man,
But was seen in the eyes of a supernatural God.
Saul and David both started with the favor of God.
He Himself declared that they were “kings”.
They would rule and reign.
Make decisions for men.
But who recognized and obeyed the authority over “him”?
Saul or David
Will you wait upon the Lord?
Saul or David
Will you submit to the Spirit?
Saul or David
Will you do it God’s Way or your own?
Saul or David
Which is stronger?
Fear of God or Fear of Man?
Saul or David
Is your heart longing for the praise of God?
Saul or David
Or the praise of man?
Saul or David
Is humility a desire over authority?
Saul or David
A repentant heart or a hardened heart?
Saul or David
Both would reap what they had sown!
But David feared his God.
He trusted in His words.
He committed his future into God’s hands.
And his decisions were made for the praise of one.
And the people didn’t dictate his decisions.
Both kings fell at one time into sin and condemnation
But how they handled it
Was what we must learn.
Stubborn denial or a hardened heart leads to loss of our favor…
Repentance means restoration and second chances.
Saul or David
Who will you be like?
Saul or David
Saul or David
Will you recognize and obey the authority over you?
The bolded lyrics are some questions to ask “yourself” …
Take a moment to look back through them and give them some pondering.
It is time to act in wisdom as believers. I was once told wisdom is “knowing the end result of a present actions”.
I respond, “Yes! We each need to have wisdom and give thought to our ways in this hour!”
Are we doing our own thing? Going our own way?
The Holy Spirit once spoke this to me, and it changed my paradigm. So now I share it with you… so it can do the same for you. This was his counsel:
Ask not, Is my agenda God’s…
Ask, Is God’s agenda mine.
One has its vantage point upon “self”. But we are to have our vantage point upon “God” …. What does He want?
Look at it again.
Examine yourself, as even I must do daily, to see if you are trying to find where you fit into God’s agenda.
Rather than, concentrating on yourself, and expecting Him to align Himself with your agenda.
Believers may be surprised that we often get it wrong… as I discovered so, of myself.
This is why the Holy Spirit gives God’s people warning.
- One is a “Saul” attitude and mindset.
- One is a “David” attitude and mindset.
Who will you be like?
Ask the Holy Spirit to begin to reveal to you the times you step out expecting God to align with you… and take note of those times when God is nudging you and trying to get you to align with what He is desiring to do.
A couple examples from Saul and David?
- Saul going ahead, making the sacrifice, and doing what Samuel only was to do. Took matters in his own hands! Expected God to align with him! And ignored that he should align with God’s way.
- David, when he went to take his brothers food, realized God was nudging him to align with what He was desiring to do: Take down Goliath! He was empowered to do just that! Why? Because He was aligning himself with what God was desiring him to do!
My prayer is that “just putting light upon this” – and “contrasting” Saul and David – each of us can begin to see where we may need to make corrections or adjustments in our following of The Lord and His Word. Submission to the Will of God is so important. Especially in these End Times!
Here is the link, again, if you previously read right through the article, without listening.
I encourage you to listen to the song, for music has a way of penetrating into your spirit, not just into your mind as words alone might do.