"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain". (I Cor 15:58).

Who likes to start on a journey well, only to end in a disaster? For many you would rather start on a gloomy note which ends in cheer than the opposite!

There are two Biblical characters who bear witness to this contrast. King Saul is one man who started well when he was plucked from nowhere and anointed King. "Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” Then the people shouted, “Long live the king"  ( I Samuel 10: 24).

In spite of having a lead start, winning wars against Isreal's enemies, he then started doubting God's sovereignity. Eventually Samuel rebuked him. "You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure" (I Samuel 13:14). Saul would later perish on the battlefield, taking his life (1 Samuel 31:4).

Meanwhile his successor David had a rough start. Not only was he pursued by an insecure Saul driving him into exile, once to survive, "he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard"  (I Samuel 21:13). Can you imagine sinking that low!

Yet, David ended well as a victorious king who passed on the throne to his son Solomon (1 Kings 1:28-53).

So, what made the difference? Along the way Saul lost his focus on the God who had made him king, instead going as far as to seek mediums for answers to his problems (1 Samuel 28: 3-15). Meanwhile David's faith in God remained steadfast. When it was brought to his attention his sin of causing the death of an innocent man, David fell on his knees in repentance, "Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD"         (2 Samuel 12:13).

Both Saul and David had long 40 year plus reigns. But while one's would end in ignomy, for the other, all would end well because he never lost faith in a good God.

Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, as I walk with you I pray to be steadfast in my walk to culminate in your glory, this I pray in Jesus's name.