David could have become like Saul who, being arrogant and unrepentant, would try to cover up his sins. He could have put on his religious robes, used spiritual jargon and made himself a way out. But David was soft towards the LORD. His relationship was fresh with God, not based on past experiences, anointings, blessings, miracles and victories. His ears were attuned to the promptings of the Spirit. His heart was ever ready to do God's will, even at a high price of being exposed and rejected by people.

The first command God gave to man in Genesis 1:28: "Be fruitful, and multiply." God's intention for us is that we should be fruitful and multiply. Often, when we borne our first-fruits, we became proud. These first-fruits of ours always prevent us from bearing the second fruits, the third fruits and so on. We think that we have arrived, and that we have already known it all - God and everything about Him!

Over the years, many men of God whom God had used in the past, had some great ministries, fell into sin and had never been able to pick themselves up again. In fact, many of them had let their ministries and what they could do for God became their identity. The once-upon-a-time Davids have become Sauls!

Saul started well and was used of God, and he had some victories! But he did not continue his journey with God. He took a different path from the one which God had intended him to. The mark of David is true humility, always having a broken and contrite heart before God (Psalms 51:17). And this doesn't mean always being in tears and weeping. But it calls for a heart that is soft and moldable by the Potter's hands. The moment this heart is hardened, a Saul is being formed! A David has become a Saul!

The new move of God is always been resisted by the previous move of God. The Evangelicals resisted the Pentecostals; and the Pentecostals resisted the Charismatics. The Sauls will resist the Davids. The old wineskins cannot hold the new wine! The old will always want to be on centrestage; even when their time is up! God's endtime plan is unfolding, and the revelation must go on from glory to glory! As the event progresses and the scene changes, we must always have the ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to us now! Upon hearing, we must obey! If we don't, our hearts will be hardened and we will not hear what the Spirit will be saying next. If we do, we must hear and obey what the Spirit is saying next and next and next. We should always go forth with God! There is no room for standing stagnant in God! No looking backward, no remaining stagnant but pressing forward towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Jesus came that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Are we having life? Or are we merely existing? If we have life, we should beget life. Are we imparting life to others? Is life flowing out of us to bless others, to meet somebody else's needs and to administer the love of Christ to them? Is our lives abundant enough to keep on giving and giving, and still having lots of leftovers? Are we fruitful and multiplying? Are we bearing new fruits, season after season? Are we being refreshed as we refresh others? Are we still having a loving relationship with God? Is our heart still soft before the LORD?

David was a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). What does that means? What is God's heart like? God has a Father's heart and a Shepherd's heart. David, too was a shepherd. He was a shepherd boy tending the sheep of his father in the fields. He showed courage and faithfulness by killing both a lion and a bear which attacked the flock. He loved his sheep, and was willing to risk and lay down his life for them.

Even in his plight fleeing from Saul, David was still having this shepherd's heart. Every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men (1 Samuel 22:2). People were attracted to David because he took good care of them in spite of their financial status, their circumstances and many problems; and also in spite of David's own personal problems and woes. Because David was faithful in being pastoral first towards his father's sheep and then these 400 problematic, discontented men; God found him faithful enough to take care of the whole nation of Israel! A man after God's own heart!

Another thing about God's heart is that He understands the meaning of true authority, and is ever forgiving. There is no authority except from God (Romans 13:1). Jesus has authority because He is under authority. David too knew this principle. With regards to the tyranny of Saul, he gave us this advice in 1 Samuel 26:23: "I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD's anointed." Time after time, Saul pursued after David and David had many opportunities to slay him. But David did otherwise. He forgave, and he fled instead.

The real test was the death of Saul. Many of us would rejoice over the death of our enemies, especially those who had abused us, mistreated us and did us harm. We would say that the LORD had vindicated us and had brought justice. But this was not in the case of David. David wept over Saul's death. His lament for Saul and Jonathan in 2 Samuel 1:19-27 was written not in hatred nor enmity but deep love and loss over the death of two beloved friends and men of God.

Interestingly enough, David means "Beloved." He was loved of God and he knew how to love, especially those that God had placed in his charge. He also showed us a great example of building covenant relationships. David and Jonathan made a covenant with each other. The covenant was not broken through time nor unpleasant circumstances. David also had covenant relationships with his followers. They went through the thick and thin. Even at Ziklag when David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because their wives, sons and daughters had been taken captive by the Amalekites.

David too lost his wives and he could have become bitter towards the LORD. But he did otherwise. He encouraged himself in the LORD (1 Samuel 30:1-6). He sought godly advice. Through that situation, David's relationship with his men was strengthened! They fought and won back their families! There was a stronger bond and a greater love for the brethren. It is a relationship that can stand the test of time, trials and temptations. It is also a love to be willing to lay down one's life for the sake of others.

In these last days, we need to build covenant relationships that will help us through the perilous times ahead. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). Let us obey the new commandment that Jesus gave us as in John 13:34: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Let us also be like David having a heart after God's own heart; pastoral, shepherding, forgiving, and having authority because we are under authority.

Let us also be warned: Never to become a King Saul!