“…And the Lord sent Nathan to David.” (2 Samuel 12:1)
Few people are as respected as David in the history of Israel. The stories of David are some of the most inspirational stories found in the scriptures. David is the second king of Israel. During his reign Israel moves from being a nomadic people to establishing a permanent home in the promise land. David’s leadership helps to usher Israel into what is considered the “golden age.”
David’s accomplishments were not achieved alone. He was surrounded by many faithful people who served God and helped to establish the great nation. One of those faithful people is Nathan. Nathan served as a prophet in the court of David. Although his presence is limited in the scriptures, he plays a significant part in David’s life. Nathan was a trusted advisor to the king. Four times he communicates to David, on behalf of God. As David tries to serve the kingdom, Nathan often helps to remind David of who God is, and who God has called David to be.
Nathan was not only a trusted advisor and prophet, but Nathan was also a good friend to David. Nathan listened to David. Nathan spoke truth to David, especially in challenging times. Nathan shared his faith with David. I am comfortable with saying that the “golden age” of Israel was, in part, because of Nathan, David’s faithful friend.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, once wrote, “The Bible knows nothing of solitary religion.” We were not created to serve God alone. We need friends to listen to us. We need faithful people to speak truth to us. We need others to serve alongside of us so that we can accomplish far more than we possibly could do alone. This is why we encourage our family of faith to connect with one another. We need a good group to help us grow in our faith. We need others to help us share Christ with the world. When we work together, we bless far more people than we could possibly bless by ourselves. We all need a Nathan in our lives. We all need to be a Nathan, as well. This is how God created us to love and serve…together.
Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship.
