Beloved
I had heard of this “child”- the talented shepherd boy who could serenade my tormented father out of a fit of a terror. Naturally, I had other things to do in these times- filling my father’s shoes while he could not perform his duties as king. At times I felt as if I were already ruling as king incognito, since I almost had to pick up my father’s slack more often than he could carry it on his own now. This was a major departure from my childhood, standing happily under the shadow of a warrior who ruled skillfully and led with confidence. I did not relish my task. I would never dream of shirking the responsibility, but my shoulders were heavy with the burden of my father’s failure now thrust upon me, and secretly no less. All that to say, I had never met this child prodigy face to face. I had heard that he did his job well and that was enough for me. Perhaps I had heard his name once or twice. I couldn’t concern myself with it. I was already weighed down with concerns.
So that fateful day was the first time I laid eyes upon him. I would not have made the connection as to who he was unless it had been explained. He was not a small boy as I had imagined. Certainly he was young, but not a child. Certainly he was small, but only in height. His eyes were old with a maturity that surpassed any I had seen in many months. I was surrounded by soldiers, but no true men. To see a boy of such tender years with the resolve and determination of a warrior immediately brought a breath of refreshing air to my weary heart. He stood there before my father and I, weathered, wind blown, and sunburned. He was a man of the earth. His years spent outdoors, tasked with caring for the gentlest of animals, had made him a man of strength and gentleness. He had the look of one who was used to taking on the world and winning. But there was something more in his fierce eyes. There was a love. The kind that comes from much time spent alone, fighting for inward peace. The kind that comes from finding the God of Israel as a closer companion than any of the brethren of Israel. I knew this love. I had tapped into it during my trying years of solitude. No one could understand the isolation that comes with being the eldest son of a madman. Add to that being the firstborn of a king, the heir to the throne.
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I was born into expectations that few on earth ever inherit, and I had thrust upon me demands that few have the fortitude to bear with integrity. All this made me a lonely man. I had none to confide in, and no one I could trust. In my moments of lonely sorrow, I had found the presence of God to be a comfort. Somehow I had discovered that He was near to me in my difficulty. I had never expected to meet someone who shared this understanding. The moment I laid eyes on David, I saw that he did. Instantly, my soul was knit to his. Here was one who had turned his life of outcast solitude into the pursuit of the heart of God. He had found the nearness of the Almighty during his distance from human company. This Great Heart pursuit had fashioned him into a mighty warrior at a young age. I realized that he had been fighting giants for a long time before setting foot on the field that day. He had been battling for my father’s soul and winning while the rest of my nation went about their business. I had counted it a burden to quietly carry out the affairs of state, while David had been fending off demonic forces from overtaking the royal household. I needed this man in my corner. I needed his warrior spirit by my side, fighting alongside me. I needed to pour into him and share with him all that I had learned during my hardships, and glean from him the lessons he had learned. I needed to build him up and support him and help him to grow into his full potential as the greatest man of God our nation had known for centuries.
I could see in his eyes the mark of a true king.
I would not tell him this for awhile, but my heart thrilled at the recognition. Someday, he would rise up and take the place that belonged to such as him. He would relieve me of a duty that had never been meant for me. I realized that this could be of great cost to me. I didn’t care. David was meant to be my dearest friend, closest brother, greatest treasure in this life, on this earth. I would be the same to him, even if it cost me my life.
