By Marvin Garrison

 From humble beginnings David was “exalted by the Most High” and “anointed by the God of Jacob.” We marvel that God grabbed him out of the pasture to be king of Israel. We marvel that God calls us out of the hay fields or kitchens or offices to serve him. Like David, we are not ashamed of our roots, for God uses them to mold and shape us for his work. 

God Calls and God Equips

Like David, Amos was a shepherd used to deliver God’s prophetic Word to Israel. When God called Jeremiah, the prospective prophet protested, citing his youth and inability to speak in public. God used Nehemiah, a cupbearer of the Persian king, to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Peter, James, and John were viewed as uneducated fishermen by the religious elite of the day, yet God used them to ignite the church. Jesus was viewed in his hometown as merely a carpenter, and God saved the world through him.

David wrote, “On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God” (Psalm 62:7, English Standard Version). No need for a one- or two-year service plan or even a lifetime warranty, as God’s faithfulness is for eternity. 

Last Words

The words in 2 Samuel 23 are probably not the last words to ever come from David’s mouth. However, as his last inspired words, it could be said they constitute his farewell address. There are many more moments of last words than simply what you may speak on your deathbed. What were the last words spoken by a parent to the child heading to school? What were the last words spoken by a spouse before getting out on the highway? What were the last words spoken by the teacher before sending children home for the day?

When words are spoken and lives are lived, what matters at any given moment is our commitment to walk with God by faith and to speak for God out of faith. As we apply the lesson we ask these questions: “Is my house right with God?” “Am I doing and speaking what is right and just for God’s people?”

Marvin Garrison has served 53 years in the ministry and is the preaching minister at First Christian Church, Laverne, Oklahoma. Marvin and his wife Vickie have one son and two grandchildren.