Don't be Saul, be a David

As some of you probably have already known I have had a birthday recently. It was significant because I turned the big 4-0. With turning 40 I have to get doctor's check up. Especially with it being summer and I'm off work because I am a teacher, I have the time to go. My first visit was for a blood test and examination of some spots on my arm. The result was that I have high cholesterol and I am showing signs of glucose intolerance, the pre-stages of diabetes. WHAT?!?!? What about my arm? I have these hard spots under the skin and I'm being told about a blood test from 6 months ago?Hmmm... I now have to go back in for a glucose test. So I drink the nasty concentrated orange soda and wait for the nurse to come in and prick my finger every hour. Yep my glucose level is high, which means that my body isn't getting rid of the sugar. Solution? Diet and exercise. Doc said that the diet needs to be high protein and low carb. Little did I know that trying to stay on this diet was going to be a battle. For one thing the food is expensive and second I didn't realize how much I love carbs. (I am eating ravioli as I write this... shhh don't tell my Dr.) He said he wants to put me on Metformin. It's a medicine that re-instructs my body on what it's supposed to do with insulin.

Next was to get my ears checked. For a while now everyone says I have to have them repeat things in a conversation. My wife says that I can't hear thunder which is my excuse when trying to participate in conversations in crowded rooms or social get togethers. The first doctor I go to tells me that I have stress in my throat and prescribes me Omnaris. What? Stress? Isn't Omnaris an allergy med? For the throat? At least that is what I think he said. So, needless to say I went to make an appointment at another audiologist. Dr. Jones, now we have this thing goin on... (sorry bad joke). This result came out that I had a hearing problem. My left ear is really bad and my right is moderately bad. At best I can only hear 47% of the conversations. There was a commercial a while back that had 3 men in a conference room having a meeting. Two of the guys were doing most of the talking but the third guy was struggling to understand. He heard them talking gibberish which is what the audience hears them to say. Things like "Bubble gum cappuccino wrapped in cheese". This scenario describes exactly what I hear in a conversation in a crowded room. Anyway the audiologist recommended that I get hearing aids. I kind of figured that is what he was going to say and did a little research. The cheapest aids on the market are at least $1500 for one. And they only last for about 6 years. Insurance companies consider these a cosmetic device and covers only a portion of them. My coverage is for $1000 every 3 years. So I do more research and found that I can get a used pair from ebay or craigslist for under $1000. But there is one catch. I don't have $1000 and my flex spending card can't be used for purchases in this manner.

I did in fact find a great deal. It was for a pair that has every feature I liked and was one of the top of the line hearing aids on the market. They were for $500. I told my wife and she gave me the answer "I good with whatever decision you make". This is usually how we make money decisions in our family. We use the protocol of asking the other spouse for permission and want them to give the right answer but the other dodges responsibility and puts it back on the other. Kinda like tennis.

Finally I asked her "I want you to tell me you real answer. What do you think i should do?" She said, "Don't be a Saul, be a David." Since my first name IS David, I was wondering what she meant. She explained that her boss at work had a Bible study about Saul and David. Saul was the king that tried to do things himself and then wanted God to either honor it or make it the right thing to do in the situation. David, who was known as a man after God's own heart, waited for God to work.

As I thought about this concept, how many times have we wanted God to make what we did great instead of letting God do the great thing? Hmmmm. Come to think about it, this concept is taught throughout the Bible. We tend to try to do things under our own power and fail miserably. Why can't we be a David and let God be God!

 

How about you? What are some ways that you have wanted God to move in your life and you were impatient and moved for yourself? How did it work out? (I do realize that sometimes we do the right thing and we do succeed)

Have you ever trusted God whole-heartedly? How did that work out?

Have you ever witnessed these scenarios in other people's lives? Did it work out for them? What would be something different that you would have done?

Please remember to comment!!!