2 Samuel 14-16

April 5

2 Samuel 14-16

David messed up. His son Absalom conspired against him. He made some bad choices and before he knew it Absalom built up a following and claimed to be king. David decided not to fight, but to leave Jerusalem. The Levites carried the ark and began to follow David out of the city. David realized that he was suffering the consequences of his own sin and instructed the Levites to take the ark back to the city. Even in the face of his discipline by God, David turned back to God and put his trust in Him.  “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”" (2 Samuel 15:25-26, NIV)

As David traveled down the road a man named Shimei came out cursing David and throwing rocks at him. One of David’s men wanted to go and kill the man for cursing David, but David responded that maybe God had instructed the man to curse him.

It is easy to bless God and to trust Him when things are going well. It is another story when we are going through hard times. Sometimes we suffer because of the choices of others, but sometimes our suffering is a result of our bad choices. We can learn from David. When we suffer, it is not a time to blame God, but a time to humble ourselves before Him and trust Him with the end results.

 

2 Samuel 11-13

April 4

2 Samuel 11-13

Up to this point, we see David as this great king and man of God. David’s problem was the problem many people face. David became complacent. David sent Joab out with the king’s men at the time when kings go off to war. David stayed home instead of tending to the duties God had given him as king over Israel. This opened the door for David to look out over his kingdom and see Bathsheba bathing. Then he asked about her. He was told she was the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah. That information did not put a check on David. He sent for her, brought her to himself, and slept with her. He abused his power over her. David did not think he would get caught. He saw a beautiful woman he was king he could do as he pleased. But his sin found him out. Bathsheba became pregnant.

As king, David thought he could cover over his sin. He sent for Bathsheba’s husband and brought him from the battle. Uriah refused to sleep with his wife while the rest of the men were on the battle front. David conspired and had Uriah killed in battle. One sin led to another which led to another. This man who was so devoted to God and following His direction, fell off a cliff.

The devil continues to try to trip us up. God will empower us to walk in obedience to Him if we will keep our yes on Him and will listen to Him. But God does not take away our free will. Staying home from battle may not have seemed like a big deal to David. Looking out over the kingdom may not have been a bad thing. Seeing Bathsheba bathing could have been an accident, but focusing on her, asking about her, sending for her, all led down a slippery slope that led to adultery and murder.

James the brother of Jesus wrote; "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7, NIV) Paul wrote to young Timothy; "Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Timothy 2:22, NIV)

Do not let your guard down. Continue to listen as God speaks to you. If you begin to slip, repent and turn back to God before the sin snowballs. God forgave David his sin, but the consequences took the life of his son conceived in the adulterous affair and led to the dysfunction of David’s family. Sin is costly. Our sin cost Jesus His life.

2 Samuel 7-10

April 3

2 Samuel 7-10

David sought out someone from the house of Saul to whom he could show kindness. Though Saul had sworn to kill David, David did not allow the desire for revenge to fill his heart. He saw Saul as the man God had anointed king. He wanted to honor Saul even after his death. Saul’s son Jonathan was David’s best friend. Jonathan knew God had chosen David and not himself to succeed Saul and Jonathan was alright with that knowledge.

Jonathan had a conversation with David before David due to Saul’s violet outburst and desire to kill David. Jonathan said; "But show me unfailing kindness like that of the Lord as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.” So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.” And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself." (1 Samuel 20:14-17, NIV) David took this oath seriously and when he was told that Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth was still alive, David sent for him and provided for him as if he were David’s own son.

 What a picture of God’s love for us. While we run and hide from God because we know we have disobeyed Him. We have made Him our enemy, but God is a loving God and pursues us to make us His children. God does not pursue us to bring vengeance, but to bring grace and mercy. He fulfills His promises of His Word. God’s desire is that we would stop running, stop hiding, but instead we will come to Him and receive His forgiveness, receive his grace and sit at his table. Though we are crippled in various ways, God loves us and will provide for us in love.

2 Samuel 4-6

April 2

2 Samuel 4-6

Even as David became king, he continued to trust in and inquire of God before he made decisions. He inquired of the Lord before attacking the Philistines. God instructed his military strategy, then assisted David in winning the battle. David was king because God made him king. David was powerful because God was with Him. David had a relationship with God.

But just because David had a relationship with God, it did not mean David was perfect. David attempted to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. He thought he was doing what was right. He had a new cart built, put the ark on it and David and the Israelites celebrated as they worked toward Jerusalem. But the oxen stumbled, Uzzah touched the ark to keep it from falling and God struck him dead. David was angry and afraid after this event and left the ark at Obed-Edom’s home.

God blessed Obed-Edom while the ark was at his house. After three months David went back to get the ark, but this time he transported it the way God instructed him to transport the ark and made sacrifices along the way.

The old saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions has merit. David had good intentions, but they were not God’s intentions or at least were not carried out in the manner God intended. God is not interested in just the results we get, He wants us to obey Him along the way. He not only wants us to feed the poor, but to do it with love. He not only wants us to give, but to give with a cheerful heart. He not only wants us to love Him but to love Him with all our heart. You get the picture.

God wants a relationship with us. He wants to lead us and guide us in life so that we can live the abundant life. He wants what is best for us. As a result, He will also discipline us. He will use whatever means are necessary to get us and keep us on the path He has designated for us. Our responsibility is to walk in obedience to Him.

2 Samuel 1-3

April 1

2 Samuel 1-3

When Saul and Jonathan died, David became king over Judah. This was not a position David pursued or asked to receive. It is a position God had anointed David to receive. It has been many years since Samuel came and picked David among the sons of Jesse. David had killed Goliath, played the harp for Saul, and been on the run hiding from Saul over those years. Perhaps David wondered if he would ever be king. If it had meant Jonathan would not die, I imagine David would have been fine allowing Saul’s family to remain on the throne. But God had plans for David. David was a man who loved God and wanted to walk in obedience to God no matter the cost.

When the man came and reported to David that Saul and Jonathan were dead, he probably thought David would be pleased. After all, Saul had been hunting for David in order to kill him. David could now relax and not have to continually look behind him for Saul and his men. But when the man told David that he had killed Saul at his own request because he was mortally wounded, David did not see it as a mercy killing; he saw it as murder of God’s anointed. David’s primary goal in life was to walk in such a way as to honor God in all he did.

Before leaving Ziklag and going to Judah to claim his crown, David inquired of the Lord. David knew God had chosen him, but he wanted to make sure he followed God’s timing. He knew he would be king, but he did not want to charge ahead of God. God told David to go and David went to Judah and became king. The house of Israel was still under one of Saul’s sons. God would put Israel under David’s control at a later time.

Are we as patient as David? Are we as willing to submit to God’s plans and God’s timing as David? Do we honor God by accepting His plan, His chosen leader, and his timing? During this portion of David’s life, it is easy to see why God would call him “a man after my own heart.” David trusted God with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength.

 May God help us do the same.