King Eternal
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17 NIV)
My older daughter recently gave me a new perspective on an old story. She told me that, in the battle between David and Goliath, "We know how the story turns out."
With the whole of Scripture open before us, we see exactly what kind of victory awaited a shepherd boy going up against a ruthless warrior. But the shepherd boy did not. He acted out of faith in the goodness of the Author of the story.
This is one reason I love to trace the lines of triumph in Scripture: they help me trust that God has written the same lines in my own story; I just haven't turned to the next page yet.
Look at God's directive to Samuel, Israel's last judge: "The LORD said to Samuel, 'How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king' " (1 Samuel 16:1).
Several translations of this verse, including the Word English Bible, change up the last sentence in a way that shines the spotlight on God's supplying hand at work across the ages: "Yahweh said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go: I will send you to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons" (1 Samuel 16:1).
"I have provided me a king."
How like God: He not only picked the king from Bethlehem, He provided the man for Himself.
But the story line did not end there. Generations later, God would send a young couple "from the house and line of David" (Luke 2:4) to Bethlehem to find God's chosen King...the One He Himself had provided.
And still the story continues. He sends us not to Bethlehem but to His own heart—and tells us, "I have provided you a King. I have chosen my Son. Be on your way to Him."
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I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to tell me what you really think. Years ago, I explained to my then-two-year-old that my appointment with a counselor was "sort of like going to a doctor who will help me be a better mommy." Without blinking, she replied, "You'd better go every day." All of which is just to say I've spent some time in the school of brutal honesty!