David's Soul Care

DAVID'S SOUL CARE

"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the OUTWARD appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'" 1 Samuel 16:7

Yesterday I shared about the need to take care of not only the outward appearance, but how important it is to take care of your soul.
Unfortunately today there is some confusion in the church about spiritual formation. There are some that have traced back the concept of spiritual formation to the Catholic church, and because of that, they are ready to disregard the concept of soul care saying it is a bad thing because it is rooted in Catholicism or even Eastern mysticism.

While one must be discerning in this area, it is quite a biblical concept to take care of one's soul. To refuse to look at this just because of the misuses would be wrong for us. We need to be like the Bereans and search the Scriptures.

Samuel was in the process of looking for the next King of Israel. He was looking at the sons of Jesse for the position - seven of them in fact.
Reading between the lines they must have "looked" kingly, but the Lord had Samuel looking for more than someone that "looked" kingly. He was looking for someone whose "heart was fully devoted to Him."

One of Saul's servants recognized something different about this David.
David was a "skill musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with Him." 1 Samuel 16:18. And I believe that the part that intrigued him was not the outward stuff, but the things going on inside of David.

If you want to get a glimpse of what was going on in David's soul, one just needs to read through the book of Psalms. David meditated on the law of the Lord day and night. (Psalm 1:2) Now there is a concept that has become misunderstood. Meditation in today's circles has come to have a negative connotation because of its roots in Eastern religion.

Great men of the Bible meditated on the Word of God. Joshua was told that if he wanted to be successful - to be the man that God wanted him to be - he was to meditate on the law of the Lord. Meditation is a discipline that we have forgotten, but one that I believe is necessary in taking care of our souls. Meditation is "chewed on the Word of God"
throughout the day. When was the last time you took a verse and throughout the day, prayerfully chewed on it, allowing it to infiltrate your heart and mind?

Here is something to think about: The average male according to the research, thinks about sex once a minute! I think that might be a slight exaggeration, but we think about it often during the day. How often do we meditate on the Word throughout the day? I wonder what our lives would be like if we were to practice meditating on the Word of God even five or six times a day.

Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, taught the principle of writing a verse of Scripture on a 3X5 card, and then several times a day, take the card and re-read the verse, meditating on each word and allowing it to sink deep into your soul. Not a bad idea. Can I challenge you today, my brothers - let's make a commitment to meditate on the Word more intentionally. Grab a 3 X 5 card, jot down a verse, and allow the truth to sink deep down into your soul as your meditate on it. Will you join me? I trust you will. - Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK and is available to speak at your church for missions conferences, pulpit supply or men's retreats. You can contact Bill for more information: 732-350-1187 ext. 22

Great Quote: "God, harden me against myself, the coward with pathetic voice who craves for ease and rest and joy. Myself, arch-traitor to myself, my hollowest friend, my deadliest foe, my clog, whatever road I go!" - Amy Carmichael