2 Samuel 5:6-7 David and his men immediately set out for Jerusalem to take on the Jebusites, who lived in that country. But they said, “You might as well go home! Even the blind and the lame could keep you out. You can’t get in here!” They had convinced themselves that David couldn’t break through. But David went right ahead and captured the fortress of Zion, known ever since as the City of David.

David was now king of Israel. Jerusalem was still in the hands of the Jebusites at that time. They felt so safe behind the city walls that they mocked David, saying the blind and the lame could stop him from taking the city.

But David took the city and it was later called the City of David. He continued to build the city, and it eventually became Israel’s spiritual and political centre. Further on in this passage, it says: And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him. (NIV)

You see, David’s success did not lie in his military prowess or strategy, but in the fact that the Lord was with him. And this was the net effect of a wonderfully intimate relationship with God. David knew where his strength came from, and he lived accordingly. God was present in every decision he made his whole life.

We learn so much from David. Yes, everything did not go smoothly from the beginning. David had to wait years. There was a long wilderness period, and when he finally became king, it was only over a small part of the people of Israel.

But when the time was right, God opened the door, even though people thought it was impossible and even mocked him for it. So sometimes we just have to endure the mockery and not bang our fists on closed doors.

God remains in control. God knows best, and His timing is always right. He sees the bigger picture and knows what we can handle and what we can’t.

When we have a strong relationship with God, we can be at peace. We can even go through dark times without banging our fists, because we trust God completely with our dreams and our future. May this great truth be a reality in your life!

Prayer
Father, thank you for being willing to walk with me through thick and thin. I hold on to You. I trust You completely with all my being …

Questions
Is there a promise or dream I’ve waited on for so long that I’re starting to lose hope?
Do I trust God’s timing, even when other people mock me or don’t understand?
What can I look back on today and see that God was working, even if I didn’t notice it at the time?

Do this now
Think of one area of your life today where you are discouraged because things are not happening the way you hoped.
Write it down and pray specifically about it. Give it back to God consciously and trust Him with the timing.
Then take a practical step toward the dream or calling that God has placed on your heart, even if the door still seems closed. Keep walking, keep believing, and keep trusting that God will open the door at the right time.