Think of your life as an airport terminal. It is a long, complicated event that is full of twists and turns. There are escalators and moving sidewalks to get move you around. There are countless people you interact with. There are sometimes shuttles or trains to quickly get you to where you need to go. You leave one gate and go on a trip. But you always return home. Usually, you arrive at a different gate. As you progress along through your life, conventional wisdom tells us to look ahead to what is next. But invariably, you will walk by a gate or a restaurant or bump into someone and instantly you are transported to the past. These reminders of the past may be pleasant for some, but for many it is a dreadful, haunted memory. For some, the past can be a gigantic problem. I have had several run-ins with my past in the last few weeks and I realize this is not coincidental – there is a reason for this. I am learning that our past, no matter how detrimental it may seem, is a benefit to us.

I have been reading about David in 2 Samuel, and have been seeing a lot of parallels to my life. We all know the story of David fighting the Philistine giant, Goliath. David was a young man who trusted completely in God. What followed was a life of ups and downs. Towards the end of his life, David again faced a Philistine giant – actually four of them.

In 2 Samuel 21, we read that David was fighting against the Philistines and in verse 15 it says – And David grew weary. David was an old man by now, and he could not fight as the young warrior he once was. Verses 16-17 tells us what happened next – And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was armed with a new sword, thought to kill David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”

So David is fighting as a weary old man and a giant comes forward to kill him. David’s men kill the giant, but tell David that he is done. They basically sent him back to the bench and said, “We’ll take care of this.” If you keep reading, you realize that David’s army killed three more giants during this war against the Philistines. One of these giants was the brother of Goliath.

I try to put myself in David’s shoes during these fights. He is older, weary and tired. He is winning the battle when suddenly a giant steps forward. Think of the memories David had. He remembered Goliath. He remembered how he had brought the giant down when he was but a boy. What else did he remember? Was it all positive? Did he think of Saul and how they marched back victorious? Did he think of how all the people sang more praises to him than they did to Saul? Did he recall the ensuing years of terror as Saul threatened his life? Did he dwell in the powerful memories of God positioning him as the King? Did he think of other battles? Did he ponder the battle when he stayed home and committed adultery? Did he sadly remember how he had Uriah killed in battle?

I imagine that when that giant, Ishbi-benob, stepped out in front of David that David had a flood of memories. I imagine that David sat at the back lines of battle watching his army take down giant after giant. I picture him reminiscing about his past. He, much like me, had a life of ups and downs. What was his response to this?

2 Samuel 22 gives us David’s Song of Deliverance, which is also recorded in Psalm 18. This lengthy song shows how David, towards the end of his life, recognized the benefit of all that had happened to him. He starts of by defining what God is: rock, fortress, deliverer, shield, horn of salvation, stronghold, refuge. The part I like the best is how he describes God when He comes to rescue David. It is described in verses 8-16:

Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations of the heavens trembled and quaked, because he was angry. Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub and flew; he was seen on the wings of the wind. He made darkness around him his canopy, thick clouds, a gathering of water. Out of the brightness before him coals of fire flamed forth. The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice. And he sent out arrows and scattered them; lightning, and routed them. Then the channels of the sea were seen; the foundations of the world were laid bare, at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

What an awesome image of our God! What David realized, and what I am realizing now, is that God is truly in control of everything. God allows what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen. When David reflected on his life – a life of pain, of victory, of sin, of forgiveness – he could not help but realize that God was right there the whole time. David was able to realize that in the times he needed God the most, God was there. David also realized that when he thought he did not need God, God was still there.

As you go through the airport terminal of life, you will encounter memories from the past. Some of them may appear like giants in your way. Instead of looking at these huge haunts as things to be ashamed of or things to avoid, look at them in the same light David did. God has allowed those memories to be part of who you are. How can you glorify God for what He has done in your life? How can you use your past to help others?

Thank you, God, for being He in whom I take refuge.

-z

Tags: david, past, samuel

This entry was posted by zac on Thursday, June 29th, 2006 at 8:54 am and is filed under Weekly Jib Jab. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.