Loved by God but flawed by nature, David’s relationship with God has fascinated me. God’s loyalty to this gifted yet fallible renegade child has served as a touchstone of hope. Today’s readings reveal the depth of his relationship with God as more than merely being loved by God “just as he is”. David, for all his idiosyncratic ways, holds on to and unapologetically lives by one truth; he has acknowledged that God is above all things, to be honoured and served with wholehearted devotion and willing mind. Regardless of personal gain to him, harming King Saul, a king anointed and set apart by the God he serves is unthinkable. The depth of David’s grief and praise in his lamentation for King Saul is equal to his emotions for his much-loved slain best friend Jonathan. David’s grief is because Saul was set apart by God. Honouring God single mindedly goes against the logic of the world. Do I love and honour God with wholehearted devotion, or is my relationship with God at a surface level?

Abba Father, instill in me a steadfast spirit so I may honour you in my ways. Amen.