David Was Chosen

FRI., APR. 22, 1988, 6:39 AM
FARM, STUDY

Yes, o son… David was chosen. The David who was the most celebrated king in My Bible story was the recipient of My attention and favor. This is not My regular mode of operation. I leave most humans with what you call free will, relying on their developed desire to come to Me and serve. Yet I am not so passive and permissive that I give everyone this freedom.

In every age and in every culture and in every spiritual/religious group I select certain people. I call them, and I rarely take no for an answer. I call in a wide variety of ways, as wide as the range of people I call. As a Presbyterian you are part of a tradition that recognized and accepted this election process. Now, in your culture it seems too “undemocratic,” so few still hold to this tenet. It is now more accepted in the more Pentecostal groups, where more claim to be called than actually are.

The Bible story is just full of chosenness, and David is a prime example. He was chosen early to be a victor. That most famous story of a young shepherd boy taking on the giant Philistine warrior, Goliath, borders on the unbelievable, I know. David was good with the sling. I didn’t “start from scratch.” Yet what are the chances of being so accurate with the first stone… right in the forehead beneath the protective armor? Did I help? Well, I wanted this incident to be part of the story, so, yes, I did.

You really don’t know David’s whole story, and you should. He was much more accomplished than you are, but you are a minor figure in that great tradition in which he, David, proceeded from killing the giant to becoming the giant. He was a spiritual leader in a very active way. He was a unique and memorable king.

As Jesus I was said to have been in the lineage of David, but I resisted being a king in the tradition that he personified. It was not appropriate to the time, as it would not be appropriate now. David did his life task well… and he wasn’t called to be “perfect.” Most of those whom I call and choose are not perfect persons. That’s part of the fun in this election process.

The Old Testament story would not be complete without David, and the New Testament story would not be complete without Paul. The continuing story of My Christian religion is dotted with many others who were and are called, intermixed with those who have come to Me voluntarily, drawn by various aspects of the faith. As in the story I gave you years ago it is impossible to distinguish those who have been chosen from those who come freely. And this is purposeful on My part.

You know you have been chosen, but you don’t have the sense that you were chosen early in life, as David was. Well, your actual direct service began late in life, but I have guided you throughout your life. You were not to become a minister, so I prevented that. You were not to leave education, so I prevented that potentially early career move. You were to be in this place, so I affected that. Otherwise, I mostly let you develop as you would… with a nudge here and there.

And so it was, also, with David. I didn’t direct his every action, but I helped cause some events and actions, and prevented others. This is My most normal operation. Some persons are critical to the continuation of Christianity, some in upholding it and others in opposing it so that it must remain viable.