When the British explorer, Sir Francis Drake, returned home to England after his fifth voyage around the world.

And when he got to the River Thames, it looked at there was a storm that was brewing that were threatening the very vessel that he has sailed for many years.

And this vessel was tossed about and was about to run aground.

And the old mariner found himself to be in that condition.

Clinch his fist.

And he said, can it be that I, who have braved the dangers of the seven seas,

must now be drowned in a ditch?

I couldn't think of a better illustration that tells you where David was at this point of his life.

This is exactly how David must have felt.

He has defeated the giants and he has killed the lion and the bear with his bare hands,

but now he is fleeing from soul.

He has slain at these tens of thousands, but now he's running away from a frightened man.

He has wrought great victory to the people of God, but now he's wandering in defeat.

He had testified so faithfully to the power of God

and the working of God, but now he is falling in the snare of self-pity. He has braved, as it

were, in the words of Francis Drake, the dangers of the seven seas, but now he's about to drown in a ditch.

And we come to this fourth in the series, and look at how when he blew it, he grew from it.

In his life, David has given us lots of examples to follow. He has taught us many great things,

but he also gave us some solemn warnings, warnings to every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

From the life of David, we have learned the blessings of a willing servant's heart.

We have learned the certainty of victory when God is in the center.

From David, we have learned the hand of God's protection when he has been put first and foremost in our lives.

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