Second Corinthians 4:17 calls this mess down here; light afflictions, a slight distress of the passing hour. Umm . . . can I just say, I’m not exactly feelin’ it today? That is, not feeling the lightness of the world’s troubles, America’s troubles, Israel’s troubles, church troubles, family troubles, and my own slumgullion of troubles. Not that I’m complaining (maybe a little). We’ve been warned plenty in God’s Word that hard days and seasons, troubles and suffering are part of life’s package in all the world.[i] There are no exemptions and no letting up as Bible prophesies are unfolding even now.
God kicks it up a notch for those who answer the call to follow Christ. He had a specific plan in mind when He created us. That plan involves assignments we are to accomplish, like carrying the Gospel message to others. As God’s messengers, we should expect to be troubled on every side, yet not distressed . . . perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus.[ii] And in case we missed what Paul is communicating here, he goes on to say, . . . constantly [experiencing] being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake.[iii]
That sure dispels any warm and fuzzy notion that having a destiny in Christ means life will go easy on us. Our pastor preached recently on the subject of destiny and the sure mercies of God, to David and to us who overcome trials we too will face. It spurred me to ponder more the life of David.
David. A man of humble beginnings. The youngest of Jesse’s sons, he was the sheepherder of the family, a budding psalmist on the grassy hills of Bethlehem, a defender of the flock. When Samuel anointed him king of Israel, the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him. From that point on things really looked promising. This young lion and bear killer stood up to defying armies, slayed Goliath, was promoted to King Saul’s courts, where his music soothed the exiting ruler. He went on to be a champion warrior, a decimator of enemy forces, the sweet psalmist of Israel, and a man after God’s own heart.[iv] Truly, David’s life had destiny written all over it.
With increasing glories such as these, you’d think his would have been a life of privilege and ease. Quite the reverse. David was a hunted man. He knew all kinds of distress, persecution, and troubles on every side because he had to dodge javelins, begged the help of prophets and priests. Like a fugitive, he fled to cities, roamed deserts, and hid in forests. Over the years he took cover in caves, laid low in wilderness strongholds, sought refuge among adversarial nations, played cuckoo to save skin. All because Saul was out to kill him.[v]
David accepted his destiny like a badge of honor pinned to his chest. He wore it like a target strapped to his back. There was no getting around it. Surely, he never dreamed that destiny would lead him to become a hard-pressed vagabond. Yet in all this, his destiny in God was secure. Jonathan, (heir to Saul’s throne) recognized the fact and called it like it was. Do not fear (David), for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; you shall be king over Israel. . . .[vi] Nabal’s wife, Abigail, agreed and said to David, Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life; the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God. . . .[vii]
Bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God. The thought of being bound normally triggers all sorts of alarms in my head. I’ve been bound before. And I’ve been freed. But bound with the LORD—count me in! Pulpit Commentary calls it, “a metaphor taken from the habit of packing up in a bundle, articles of great value or of indispensable use— (get this!)—so that the owner may carry them about his person.” If this “world gone bonkers” intends to treat those with destinies in God as viciously as it did David, I can’t think of a better place to be than safely bundled up as God’s valuable possession and carried close to His Person.[viii] The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it (Him) and are safe.[ix]
Not only will God keep us bound to Himself as we walk out (with Him) our destinies in Christ, . . . but He shall fling away the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.[x] David’s mindset couldn’t help but shift from victim to victor when he heard this! In his youth, he felled the giant Goliath with one rock from his slingshot. Had that been any more difficult than when he slayed lions and bears? By the same token, God says He shall fling away countless Goliaths with the pocket of His sling! He will fling them far, fling them wide, and do so violently.[xi]
I fear for those who try to face alone the craziness yet to come.[xii] If they refuse to be bound in the bundle of life with God, they will find themselves bound by the cords of their own sin.[xiii] If they continue to hold out till things get nightmarish, they will end up trapped and bound beneath the rubble of mountains and rocks they ask to fall on them to hide them from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.[xiv]
If only they would choose God’s personal care and protection through fellowship with Christ. There, bound in the bundle of Life with the LORD their God, the enemies of this age can’t harm them, and temporal death can’t separate them from Life Himself. [xv] My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.[xvi]
Lord, bind us in the bundle of Life with You. That’s where we want to live. It’s where I want to stay.
[i] Ecclesiastes 3; Matthew 24
[ii] 2 Corinthians 4:8–10
[iii] 2 Corinthians 4:11
[iv] 1 Samuel 13:14; Psalm 23; 1 Samuel 15:28–29; 1 Samuel 16:1–13; 1 Samuel 16: 14–23; 1 Samuel 17:34–37; 1 Samuel 18:7; 2 Samuel 22; Psalm 18; 2 Samuel 23:1
[v] 1 Samuel 18:10–11; 1 Samuel 19:18; 1 Samuel 21:1–6; 1 Samuel 22:1–5; 1 Samuel 21:10–15
[vi] 1 Samuel 23:16–17
[vii] 1 Samuel 25:29a NIV, KJC
[viii] John 14:23
[ix] Proverbs 18:10 NKJ, NLT; 2 Samuel 22
[x] 1 Samuel 25:29b BSB
[xi] Isaiah 42:14; Deuteronomy 33:27
[xii] Philippians 3:18–19
[xiii] Proverbs 5:22
[xiv] Revelation 6:16
[xv] 1 Samuel 25:29 - Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
[xvi] Psalm 73:26–27
I want to be bundled with the Lord!