a flawed hero

We have been reading through the Old Testament this year and we are in the thick of First and Second Samuel. The riveting drama of this ancient text totally captivates me: the line of judges, the establishment of Saul as king, and the the intensely personal struggles of David in his rise to power. Although the story of Joseph (in the book of Genesis) has always been a favorite of mine, the tale of David is a close second.
David, the shepherd-boy turned king, is a flawed hero. As much as I exult in his triumphs, I am deeply disappointed, close to distraught, in his failings. Perhaps it is the length of his story, or the magnetism of his character, or even the humanity revealed in the details, but the life of David leaves me breathless in its scope. It takes effort to merge the young musician that hurled stones at lions to protect his father's flocks with the warrior that ruthlessly mows down entire cities, women and children not excepted. Yet David the shepherd, the musician, the poet, the warrior, leader and king are one and the same. We can peer down the annals of time, as if from behind the lens of an omniscient movie-camera in the sky, and see his life unfold. This man that swears allegiance to Jonathan and flees from the vengeful King Saul captures my heart. I feel his grief, his fierce allegiance, his sorrow at his own sin, his passion for worship, and it moves me. It challenges me. If you haven't read his story lately, dive into the Old Testament and give it a whirl.
Thanks, God, for the amazing life of David, son of Jesse.
Thanks for a flawed hero.