[deacon blues]

Every Memorial Day a family from our church that lived out in the country had a huge picnic and invited just about everyone from our assembly. The food was always outstanding. The day would end with the men making homemade vanilla and banana ice cream. Lots of games would be played by young and old. Men pitching horseshoes, women playing Jarts, and children involved in anything their little minds could create. There was plenty of room to roam and explore and exert lots of pent up juvenile energy.

The host family's home was situated at the bottom of a large hill that would witness kids running down the hill simply for the sheer joy of having gravity pull them downhill faster than they could ever run on a level plane. The hill would be covered with kids rolling somersault, sideways and just about any other way imaginable. Ultimately the hill would be the scene of a titanic struggle called "King of the Hill".

King of the Hill is a game that is simple. The top of the hill is the prize and everybody wants it. Someone stakes their claim by planting both feet firmly there and daring anyone to move them off of that spot. Everybody else summarily attacks the one at the top trying to pry him away from that plot of ground as he fights off all challengers. Obviously the biggest, strongest guy would be King of the Hill. But if the smaller guys would unite together they could take the big guy down opening the top of the hill to be claimed by a new king. Instantly all of the guys who worked together became enemies because only one can be King of the Hill. The process would start all over again. The game would end when everyone would tire of the fight and the last man standing could proclaim that he was the King of the Hill. Until next Memorial Day.

Everybody wants to be king. Who wouldn't? Who wouldn't want to be in control? Who wouldn't want to call the shots? Who wouldn't want to be revered, honored, respected and lauded? Everybody wants to be the master of their domain. The problem is so does everybody else. And so life oftentimes can be this endless cycle of claiming territory, fighting for position, uniting with others to remove those that are the obstacle only to have folks turn on us to steal our plot of ground. The King of the Hill finds out its not so easy being king.

David did not ask to be king. He was just a shepherd boy tending his father's flocks. He was unknown. He was the youngest of several sons. He was the least thought of. He was given the job nobody else wanted. He was very often alone. But while David was by himself with those sheep he spent time talking to God. He became very skilled at playing music. He wrote his own songs. He drew close to the Lord. The Lord was with him.

One day a messenger came to David in the field and told him that his father neeed to see him immediately. When David arrived he found his father and the great prophet Samuel waiting for him there. As he approached a smile came over the face of Samuel as tears of joy welled up in his eyes. Samuel asked David to kneel and the prophet began to pour anointing oil over him as he declared David to be the next king of Isarel.

It would be a long road to the throne. David would be called upon to play his music in the current king's presence. A foul mood would come over King Saul that almost seemed to make him go crazy. David would play and sing and the ugliness would depart from the king. He would be at peace.

David was sent to the battlefield one day to check on the condition of his brothers. Israel and the Philistia had been at war as far back as anyone could remember. This was another one of those times. Three of David's brothers were in the army and had been called up to the front lines. When David arrived he came upon the reverberating voice of the Philistine champion Goliath. He was challenging Israel to a one on one fight between him and Israel's greatest warrior. The pagan giant's defiance of Israel and Jehovah incensed the young man so that he volunteered to fight the behemoth. Nobody could believe it. Nobody wanted to face the giant either. So David was permitted to represent Israel against the Philistine champion. The story is well known. The result shocked all who watched. David prevailed over Goliath.

The word got back to the capital city. When the troops returned from the great victory, the women turned out en mass playing tambourines and singing "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands!" Saul did not miss the inference. From that day forward Saul began to eye David with suspicion and skepticism.

It wasn't too long before Saul's son, the heir to the throne, Jonathan became best friends with David. Michal, Saul's daughter fell in love with David. The two got married. Now David was a part of the royal family. He was daily in the palace. And with every day, Saul hated David more and more. Finally Saul's growing paranoia got the best of him. While David played the instrument in the throne room during one of Saul's episodes, Saul thrust a spear at David with the intent to kill him. David dodged the spear and escaped.

Matters grew worse and David had to run for his life. He fled the palace, leaving his young wife behind, leaving the comforts of majestic living, leaving a secure dwelling and a warm bed for the wilderness, hiding out in caves, and eking out a living on the run. In the process others who were on the run teamed up with David to form a small band of men roaming the countryside trying to survive.

Saul learned where David was hiding and pursued him with three thousand of his best warriors. Saul turned aside to relieve himself in a cave and unwittingly chose the very cave where David and his men were holed up. David's men stated, "God has delivered Saul into your hands so that you can kill him and take the throne!" Saul certainly was in a vulnerable position. The scenario seemed to be a gift wrapped opportunity for David to get what was rightfully his. After all he had done nothing but been respectful and honored the king. He had served him and won many victories on the battlefield for the king. He had been loyal and dedicated to Saul. And how did Saul reward him? He returned evil for good. David could justify killing Saul. David certainly could claim self defense. David could bear witness that the prophet Samuel had anointed him to be the next king of Isael. Everybody remembered the slaying of Goliath. Surely everyone would understand the justifications.