1 Kings 2:2-3New International Version (NIV)
2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man,3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go
This portion of Scripture speaks to the heart of every man. We see King David knowing his life on earth is almost complete. His life was far from perfect, but he pursued God in all his life. His heart chased after the Father.
He wanted the same for his son, Solomon. He first tells him to be a man of courage. There is no place for a weak man, and his courage needed to come from above and not within.
Many times as men, we look for courage from within ourselves. We have a self inflicted mind set where we say, “I can do this.” Too often we use this mind set to fight our addictions, anger, or personal struggles within the heart. We rely on the self inflicted mind set.
King David knew this from doing life. His greatest failure in life was within himself. He lusted after another man’s wife and seized the moment. The price of the moment killed an innocent man, a newborn child, and his kingdom here on earth was ripped in half because of that one moment.
Yet, in his failure with Bathsheba came King Solomon and eventually the greatest King many years later, King Jesus. In his brokenness, King David looked to his courage which came from above.
How about your courage today? Are you looking to Jesus who gives the courage or are you doing life your own way? We can learn a lot from the life of King David and his words as he commissioned his son Solomon. Let’s all look to the courage that comes from above.
Strength and Courage
Michael
