The Space between the Promise and the Performance

This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.”  David is a grace case from start to finish.  He was minding his own business, going about his daily routine, tending to sheeping, not knowing that God was about to perform a significant act in his life, when one of his brothers ran out to get him in the field.  I could just imagine the conversation.  It probably went something like, “David, hurry up, you need to get home right away.  There is a prophet in our home and he is looking to do something with one of us.  He already looked at each of us and now he is waiting on you.”   When David arrived, still smelling like sheep, the prophet anointed David’s head with a few drops of olive oil in an informal yet significant ceremony.  The Bible says, “From that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power” (1 Sam. 16:13).  David then became known as an “anointed one” or “the LORD’s anointed.”  From that moment on David was God’s designated leader for the nation of Israel.  What had David done to deserve this honor?  Nothing.  Apparently his family agreed.  They didn’t even invite him to his own coronation.  Besides, historically, a new king had to be the son of an old king.  Jesse was no king and David was no prince.  This was not a natural selection, but rather a spiritual one.  David’s selection was not a birthright, but rather a divine appointment.  And David was not selected because he earned it, he was selected by grace and grace alone.  God picked David, even though he was not from the right family.  God picked David, even though he was the youngest of Jesse’ boys.  God picked David, even though he did not do anything special to deserve it.  God picked David by grace.  Guess what?  He did the same with you!

As soon as the impromptu coronation ceremony was over you would think that the clouds would open up, that there would be a voice from heaven, or that the prophet Samuel would escort David to the palace so he could take over the throne of Saul.  None of that happened.  The prophet left, David rubbed the oil off his forehead, his brothers went back to whatever they were doing and David went back to his sheep.  None of them could truly understand what had just happened.  God had transitioned the power for national leadership from Saul to David in the spirit, but naturally speaking, it would be over a decade before David would physically assume the throne.  David had to wait faithfully and patiently to receive in hands what the Lord had already done in his heart.

So what does this mean to you today?  A few things:
1.  God made plans for you before the foundations of the world.  Not because of anything you did (obviously), but simply because of His grace.
2.  You have and will continue to experience divine moments in your life, when God shifts something in the spirit, in order to see His Kingdom plans and purposes for your life come to pass in the natural.
3.  During those divine moments the Father will deposit something inside of you, but there will be a span of time before you see in your hands, what you have already received in your heart.
4.  In the space between the promise (in your heart) and the performance (in your hands), you must do your best to remain faithful.  Not because you are attempting to earn it, because you can’t, but because you are attempting to honor the Lord for bestowing His grace upon your life.

Closing Confession:  Father, I thank You for making plans for me before the foundations of the world.  You were thinking of me before I could do anything to earn your attention.  And after I was alive, with the ability to live right before You, I ignored You and went my own way.  I was completely undeserving, but You pursued me anyway.  You loved me enough to track me down, even when I had no consideration for You whatsoever.  You blessed me and saved me by Your amazing grace.  And now that I openly acknowledge You as Lord, You freely deposit things in my heart, about my future, that give me hope.  I know it is simply a matter of time before I see, in my hands, what I have already received, in my heart.  So I wait patiently and faithfully.  Not because I am trying to earn it, because I never could, but rather because I simply want to honor You for being so good to me.  I declare this by faith.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.