I am David by Anne Holm
Just a few excerpts from “I am David”, a book that I borrowed from Anna =) These quotes are mainly about his struggles and walk with God.
Heinemann New Windmills Pg. 42
“Then David decided that he must have a god: it might help. But which God should he choose? It was important to find the right one. …
What gods did he know of? The one the Jews had made so many demands to in return for his help? And what had David to give? Nothing! And if you were not a Jew, perhaps you had no right to choose him. The God of the Catholics seemed to leave things to a woman called Mary. Not that David had anything against women, but as he knew so little about them it might be better to choose one who looked after things himself. Johannes should have taught him something about God. Instead, he had only told him about a man, also called David, who had lived a long time ago. David dug into his memory: when he thought hard he could recall many of the things Johannes had said. Was there not something about a god too, in that story about David? Something in rather difficult words - he had always liked new words that were long and strange: he enjoyed finding out what they meant.
Suddenly it came back to him. That other David had said of his God, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside still waters.”
He was the one he would choose!”
In his ignorance, David did not know that all the gods he had listed in his options were actually the same God. He had just escaped from a Stalinist concentration camp and was trying very hard to not be caught. In his desperation, he decided to choose a God to help him and he made this choice because He is also the God of another David in ancient times.
Pg. 76-77
Something that Johannes had said to David in asking him to be polite to the guards in the concentration camp, even though David was very unwilling to: “…if you never allow other people to influence what you’re really like, then you’ve something no one can take from you - not even they. Never mind what others are like - you must still be David. Do you understand what I mean?”
How very true. Johannes was building up David’s character.
Pg. 109-110
David came to a church and saw the statue of Saint Christopher. Despite the priest there telling him that there’s only one God and that they both worshipped the same God, David refused to believe him. “Perhaps what the priest said was true. How could he be sure, when there were so man things he did not know? But when you had made a choice, then you must stand by it, and if the priest were mistaken, you mustn’t let yourself be influenced by it.
‘I’d rather keep my own God, if you don’t mind, signor. He’s very strong, and helps you when you’re frightened. And you shouldn’t change your mind once you’ve made your choice, for you must respect what you’ve said…’”
Although David was very young, his circumstances had instilled maturity into him. Johannes was one of the reasons, and David being able to get through his suffering also taught him the Lord’s faithfulness. What does this teach us? =)
Heinemann New Windmills Pg. 42
“Then David decided that he must have a god: it might help. But which God should he choose? It was important to find the right one. …
What gods did he know of? The one the Jews had made so many demands to in return for his help? And what had David to give? Nothing! And if you were not a Jew, perhaps you had no right to choose him. The God of the Catholics seemed to leave things to a woman called Mary. Not that David had anything against women, but as he knew so little about them it might be better to choose one who looked after things himself. Johannes should have taught him something about God. Instead, he had only told him about a man, also called David, who had lived a long time ago. David dug into his memory: when he thought hard he could recall many of the things Johannes had said. Was there not something about a god too, in that story about David? Something in rather difficult words - he had always liked new words that were long and strange: he enjoyed finding out what they meant.
Suddenly it came back to him. That other David had said of his God, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside still waters.”
He was the one he would choose!”
In his ignorance, David did not know that all the gods he had listed in his options were actually the same God. He had just escaped from a Stalinist concentration camp and was trying very hard to not be caught. In his desperation, he decided to choose a God to help him and he made this choice because He is also the God of another David in ancient times.
Pg. 76-77
Something that Johannes had said to David in asking him to be polite to the guards in the concentration camp, even though David was very unwilling to: “…if you never allow other people to influence what you’re really like, then you’ve something no one can take from you - not even they. Never mind what others are like - you must still be David. Do you understand what I mean?”
How very true. Johannes was building up David’s character.
Pg. 109-110
David came to a church and saw the statue of Saint Christopher. Despite the priest there telling him that there’s only one God and that they both worshipped the same God, David refused to believe him. “Perhaps what the priest said was true. How could he be sure, when there were so man things he did not know? But when you had made a choice, then you must stand by it, and if the priest were mistaken, you mustn’t let yourself be influenced by it.
‘I’d rather keep my own God, if you don’t mind, signor. He’s very strong, and helps you when you’re frightened. And you shouldn’t change your mind once you’ve made your choice, for you must respect what you’ve said…’”
Although David was very young, his circumstances had instilled maturity into him. Johannes was one of the reasons, and David being able to get through his suffering also taught him the Lord’s faithfulness. What does this teach us? =)