My wife and I recently finished watching the first season of the new biblical series “House of David” on Amazon. The series was very well done, even though it doesn’t exactly follow the biblical narrative in places, along with some embellishments and liberties taken for dramatic effect. And while it only covers the beginning of David’s story, it was enough to get me thinking about him and his life in my morning devotional time.

I’ve written before about David and about how his true focus was on God for all his life, and how his deepest desire was to simply be with Him and be in His presence in That One Thing (Psalm 27) and the series only reinforced that. While most seek after fame, fortune, and power (just spend 10 seconds on social-media!), David did not. It struck me that even though David obtained all of those things during his life, he never intentionally sought those things for himself or for his own glory. He sought after God and His name and he made himself available in whatever way God might use him. And in doing so, God provided those things to him much like He later would for his son Solomon after he had simply asked God for wisdom in governing His people.

David was so focused on God and innately knew that his satisfaction would only be found in Him that he would’ve been happy regardless of whether he had become king or not. While few people like being shepherds back in those days (it was typically the lowest job given to the lowest of servants and children), David made the best of it. There’s no record of him complaining, and apparently he used those long, boring, solitary days and nights in the fields to grow closer with God. Then when the time came, he relied on his relationship, faith, and trust in God for God to guide and deliver him in whatever situation he found himself. And God richly rewarded that faith, loyalty, and trust.

God even says as much in 2 Samuel 7:8-9 when David is wanting to build a Temple for Him: ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.”

David’s focus was not on greatness, his own glory, or even himself — but on God. In reviewing the lives of Saul, Solomon, and most other kings in the Bible, that is by far the exception rather than the rule. David stands alone.

David’s life-story also parallels that of Job in many ways, save for the boils and ashes and three accusing friends. For example, God provided the growth, wealth, reputation, and honor/glory for both. Both were regarded as very wealthy, faithful, wise, and of impeccable reputation. He provided wives and many children for both, and the very picture of an ideal household, in that both had ten children or more. But then at the height of their greatness, God allowed all those things to be stripped from them:  Job in his testing by Satan and David in his sin with Bathsheba that opened the pathway for Satan to destroy his household from the inside.

In both cases of David and Job, God allowed nearly everything that mattered to be stripped from them so that they, He, and others (and us by their stories) could see what remained. And what was that? Their faith and desire to be with God. Despite all that had happened to them, both men clung to God with everything they had and refused to give up on their faith in Him and that He would ultimately deliver them. Somehow.

In the case of Job, all that had been lost during his time of testing was later restored twofold, though with David, it wasn’t quite as dramatic — likely because of his sin. David’s kingdom and much of his household was restored, but his reputation never was. How differently David’s life would have turned out if he had not sinned with Bathsheba and then murdered her husband to cover it up — to save his reputation and hide his disloyalty and sin! All the family turmoil and tragedy that befell him would have likely been avoided, as well as his near-loss of the kingdom to his son Absalom and the heavy burdens of grief, loss, and regret that David then carried for the rest of his life. There was probably not an hour that passed that he didn’t think of one of those evils, and only God knows how much that interfered in their relationship and their intimacy/walk.

Yet despite all the tragedy, loss, and grief, David still clung to God — even if it was by the very tips of his fingers at times — and God didn’t tear the kingdom away from him despite his sin. Remember, God removed the kingship from David’s predecessor Saul over his disobedience with the sacrifice and King Agag, and then God split the kingdom after David’s son Solomon fell into idolatry and lost faith with Him. But God continued to honor David because he continued to honor God and he returned to Him whenever he sinned and went off the rails. David continued to be humble before God and knew he was still “little” despite his greatness.

Consider all the stories of the kings and rulers throughout history and even many of our leaders today. How many would actually humble themselves and confess their sins and wrongdoings when accused or exposed? How many would not merely call for a day of prayer but actively fast and participate in it? Yet David did all that in 2 Samuel 24 when he sinned and took an unlawful census of the people (relying upon the strength of the army/people rather than God).

David’s life — through all the highs and lows — continued to reflect his desire to be close to God and his reliance upon Him, as well as his inner humility.

While the “House of David” wasn’t preachy and didn’t delve too much into the spiritual side of David’s life, it was great to see the portrayal of him and the biblical characters we’re familiar with, and of course, all the action-scenes and being able to see what they might have looked like three thousand years ago.

I’m already looking forward to seeing what Season 2 of “House of David” will bring and how his onscreen character will be developed!