February 2015 started off great. My husband and I had just purchased two cribs, my mom went with me to buy a double stroller, and we picked a theme for the kid’s room, Noah’s ark (a two-by-two thing). Daniel and I had celebrated Valentine’s day the week before the actual day because we wanted to see the Lightning play one more time before we dove headfirst into parenthood. Things were exciting. February 12, things changed rapidly.
There are many times in David’s life things rapidly changed. Anointed king around 12 years old (1 Sam. 16), David’s life looked promising. But David didn’t become king right away, in fact he didn’t become king of Judea until 30 and then about 8 years later king of Israel. His first experience in the courts was to play his lyre for King Saul. He also defeated a giant (1 Sam. 17:4-7), overcame multiple attempts on his life by Saul and others (1 Sam. 19), he lost his best friend, Jonathan to war (1 Sam 31), and pled with God to save his child (2 Sam.12:16-23).
I am sure when David heard he was going to be king he didn’t think he would be hiding in caves for his life. But God was with him and David knew his refuge was in the Lord. 73 psalms are attributed to David and he speaks to God to defend us and heal us, to deliver us from times of trouble; to ask God for his justice and to praise him in song.
Things don’t go the way we plan. There are moments of great joy and of soul crushing sorrow. God is there through them all. He is the strength to get us through, our refuge and our savior (Psalm 18: 1-3). February is a hard time for me and my family but God has blessed us. He has led us through in 2015 and continues to led us today.
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness[b]
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[c]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
forever.[g]