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多年之前当我仍是驻堂牧师时，有人告诉我，尽管我是由他们的会友委任的牧师，但我并不是他们的牧师，他的话令我大吃一惊。那人一直是我教会的会友，但他从来不接受我牧养他们。随着时间的推移，另有其他几个会友也对我说过类似的话。

作为一个领袖，大卫也并非被每一个人所接受。扫罗死后，耶和华喜悦大卫成为治理犹大的君王，耶和华一直与大卫同在，祂在数年之前已经膏立他来负起这个责任。透过成功的军事行动和明智的决定，大卫也向百姓证明了他的领导才能，在这些事上，他都寻求尊荣耶和华。

与此同时，也不是每一个人都接受大卫作他们的君王的。耶和华的子民已分裂为两个阵营，扫罗的元帅押尼珥希望扫罗的国度能延续下去，他于是立扫罗年40岁的儿子伊施波设作以色列的君王。

所以，大卫的王权是在国家仍处于分裂的状况下开始的。

在这个世代，当罪恶和恩典对立时，也会产生以上的状况，这些状况都会令人不安，然而神却使用它们来在我们身上成就最美好的工作——就是藉着祂的智慧和慈爱，来帮助我们日渐成长和活出丰盛的生命。

Some years ago, when I was a pastor, someone told me that even though I was chosen as pastor by their congregation, I was not their pastor. The words shocked me. The person remained a member of my church but never allowed me to pastor them. Over time, several other members told me the same thing.

As a leader, David was not accepted by everyone either. The Lord had approved of David’s becoming king over Judah after the death of Saul. The Lord had been with David and had anointed him for this role many years earlier. David had also proven his leadership through successful military campaigns and wise decision making, in which he sought to honor the Lord.

At the same time, not everyone had declared David as their king. The Lord’s people were split into two camps. Saul’s general, Abner, wanted Saul’s kingdom to continue, so he made Saul’s 40-year-old son Ish-Bosheth king over Israel.

So David’s rule began in the midst of disunity.

These are the conditions in which sin and grace stand in tension in this world. They are not comfortable conditions, but God uses them to do some of his best work in us—to help us grow to live fully, with his wisdom and love.