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Morning Manna | Psalm 78:70-72 | He Chose David

Writer's picture: Bro. Caleb TaftBro. Caleb Taft

Psalms 78:70-72

70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: 71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. 72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.



Psalm 78 is a history of the nation of Israel. When you read it we are reminded of all the ups and downs of the Nation. They were locked in a perpetual cycle of deliverance, followed by a short season of faithfulness and long periods of backsliding that led to chastisement and eventually deliverance again. So this cycle went on for hundreds of years. Generation after generation the nation never could be faithful and stable. The psalm ends with our verses today, seeing that God had chosen a man to be a king and shepherd over the sheep of his pasture, Israel. 



Israel had always needed a leader, At first it was Moses, then Joshua, then the Judges and now they needed a king, one unlike the king they had chosen for themselves. Our verse today makes it clear that David was chosen of God, "He chose David." The following words show us why he chose David because he was "Also his servant." This is a title God used for David even after he ascended to the throne in Israel, it did not matter that he was wealthy, or ruled over millions of people, or that he was one of the most successful kings that ever lived he never outgrew the title "servant." So it is in this hour, that God's people need leaders, when there is no shepherd the sheep are scattered and unkempt. They run from one hurt to another, until there is a Sheperd who will guide them and teach them. That is the office of the Pastor, to shepherd God's people. According to the NT, pastors were given to the church for the edification of the saints, until we become like Christ. As Christ told Peter, "Lovest thou me?... Feed my sheep." No matter the heights that a pastor may rise to, even if he becomes the shepherd over a flock of thousands, or becomes nationally or even internationally known, he never outgrows the title and office of a servant, neither is any title more lustrous than that of servant. It is a million times more an honor to be a servant of God than to be a king over nations. '



Notice where God finds his shepherd, "He took him from the sheepfolds." Notice what he found him doing, "Following ewes great with young." God can see every person, every day, in every walk of life. In Israel when he was looking for a king it wasn't a young man in the university that caught his eye, although it could have been, it wasn't a Levite in the Tabernacle, it wasn't a man in Saul's court but a lad who cared for sheep with all he had. He noticed a boy out in the field sufficed to be faithful in the pasture God had him in. Caring for pregnant sheep as if he were caring for people. Dear sir/madam, God's eyes aren't hidden from the manufacturing plants, or the retail stores, or the fields and farms, he isn't just searching the seminaries and universities for leaders but his eyes are in all places. What does he find us doing? Are we faithful in that which is least? Rest assured if you are a horrible worker at the job you will be a worse pastor, missionary, or evangelist. God is looking for faithfulness, so if it is a field you work in, or at a machine, or in a store be faithful, God is watching. 


  


Lastly, we see that as David had led those ewe lambs he also led Gods, people. There are 2 services David provided for Israel, He fed them and he guided them. Specifically he "fed them by the integrity of his heart" and he "guided them by the skillfulness of his hands." Notice he speaks of integrity of heart and skillfulness of hand. David's hands were not always clean, he had shed blood, and we see at times in his life that he could lie, be harsh, and be rash. Then we remember his sin with Bathsheba, his hands were not always clean but the Lord always reminds us that his heart was in the right place. His heart never could spend more than a few months out of tune with God, when his heart had grown cold and his hands dirty he would run to the Lord in repentance and have his heart restored and his hands cleaned.



 Leaders, are our hearts right with God? None of us, not even King David lived above reproach, none of us have clean hands, and we make mistakes daily, but where is your heart? "Watch your spirit" I've been told, I believe that is along the same lines as "Keep your heart, for out of it comes the issues of life." David fed God's people, not by the integrity of his hands but by the integrity of his heart, If your heart is in the right place your hands will follow. A heart that has integrity will have skillful hands. "Whatsoever your hands find to do, do with all thy might!" We often lack wisdom, and we are content to remain fools, not a man of integrity, he won't be satisfied until he can give God, not just his best, but the best. We are indeed weak and failing, but a heart of integrity will not be satisfied to only give to God failing, faltering sacrifices but will seek God's wisdom so that he may give sacrifices more fitting. That he may lead better, work harder, pray more earnestly, go further, as Jabez prayed, bless me indeed and enlarge my coast. "If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God!" Oh that we had men like David, with hearts of integrity and hands of skill. Lord make us such!

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