Who Lives That Way? (Persistence)

"Stop acting so proud and haughty! Don't speak with such arrogance! For the LORD is a God who knows what You have done; He will judge your actions. The bow of the mighty is now broken, and those who stumbled are now strong. Those who were well fed are now starving, and those who were starving are now full. The childless woman now has seven children, and the woman with many children wastes away. The LORD gives both death and life; He brings some down to the grave but raises others up. The LORD makes some poor and others rich; He brings some down and lifts others up. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor. For all the earth is the LORD's, and He has set the world in order. (1 Samuel 2:3-8 NLT)

It's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day details of life.  We can start to think that we are the ones who create our destiny...our success.  But God reminds us over and over again that nothing we have really is ours.  Everything we have is from Him.  The best thing we can do for ourselves and our families in this life is to humble ourselves before the LORD and obey His commands.

"He will protect His faithful ones, but the wicked will disappear in darkness. No one will succeed by strength alone. Those who fight against the LORD will be shattered. He thunders against them from heaven; the LORD judges throughout the earth...  (1 Samuel 2:9-10 NLT)

It takes more than obedience, though.  Every moment, every day, every week, every month, every year provides a new opportunity to obey or to rebel.  Blessings do not come to those who obey once or even once in awhile.  God rewards persistence.  He calls persistence by a different name, though.  In His Word, persistence at doing God's will is called faithfulness.

Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. "Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water," Daniel said. "At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king's food. Then make your decision in light of what you see." (Daniel 1:11-13 NLT)

Daniel and his friends were persistent...faithful...in following the LORD even in captivity.  Because they would not eat the foods God prohibited at the time, Daniel and his friends were rewarded by God.   They received blessings from Him who holds everything.  Are you persistent in doing His Will?  Are you faithful?

What God Wants

Now Ahithophel urged Absalom, "Let me choose 12,000 men to start out after David tonight. I will catch up with him while he is weary and discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will run away. Then I will kill only the king, and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her husband. After all, it is only one man's life that you seek. Then you will be at peace with all the people." (2 Samuel 17:1-3 NLT)

David's son, Absalom, is now in charge.  He knows that his reign is only going to last if David is killed.  As long as his father is alive, Absalom's rule is in danger.  So, Absalom starts listening to potential plans from his advisers.

But then Absalom said, "Bring in Hushai the Arkite. Let's see what he thinks about this."...

"I recommend that you mobilize the entire army of Israel, bringing them from as far away as Dan in the north and Beersheba in the south. That way you will have an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore. And I advise that you personally lead the troops. When we find David, we'll fall on him like dew that falls on the ground. Then neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. And if David were to escape into some town, you will have all Israel there at your command. Then we can take ropes and drag the walls of the town into the nearest valley until every stone is torn down." (2 Samuel 17:5,11-13 NLT)

Absalom's advisers both recommend killing David.  One of them recommended the slaughter of all David's army, too.  Now, God was working in this second set of advice so that Absalom would fail, but Absalom didn't know that.  He was making a decision based on what he thought best.  He chose to kill his father and all his father's army.

Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "Hushai's advice is better than Ahithophel's...  (2 Samuel 17:14 NLT)

He pulled together a great army of Israel and went after David.  He wanted to slaughter them all.  David, of course, prepared to fight back.  Before sending his army out to battle, though, he gave this command:

"For my sake, deal gently with young Absalom." And all the troops heard the king give this order to his commanders. (2 Samuel 18:5b NLT)

I see in David a glimpse of the mind of God.  Twenty thousand warriors would lose their lives in battle that day, but David still loved his son.  Sometimes I think we miss the point when we read all the stories, Old Testament and New, where punishment and death are all over the place.  You might start to get the picture that God is just big, mean, and out to destroy us for every little mistake we make.  You would be seeing the picture quite distorted, though.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

God doesn't want to hurt you.  He wants to stop evil.  To the extent that you are doing evil, He wants you to knock it off and start doing good.

He doesn't want to punish your spouse for the wrong done to you.  He wants you both to stop doing wrong, love one another, and have a good marriage.

He doesn't want to punish you for your rebellion against your parents.  He wants you to get along with them, love them, and learn from them how to walk with Him.

He doesn't want to punish your parents for the way they treated you.  He wants them to stop hurting you, repent of their own sin, and start being good, loving parents.

God puts laws, penalties, and even wiped out whole nations of people; but that's not what He wants to do.  What He wants is for those people to stop doing evil and start living the life God intended for them to enjoy. That's what God wants.

You want to walk together with God?  It's a great life...when you do what God wants.

False Accusations

As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul's family. He threw stones at the king and the king's officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him. "Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!" he shouted at David. "The LORD is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul's clan. You stole his throne, and now the LORD has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!" (2 Samuel 16:5-8 NLT)

Not too long ago, I was having a conversation with someone about ministry.  We were talking about approaches, strategies, and our heart for people.  I described to this person what I believe God is calling me to do here in Valparaiso, Porter County, Chicagoland, and beyond.  More than that, I shared my heart for people and how much of my ministry is "behind the scenes" to empower people.  When we got to this point in the conversation, the person's face reflected a look of pensive surprise.  "You really get a bad rap, you know?"  "Yeah," I responded.  "No, I mean it.  You really get a bad rap in some circles.  They don't understand you at all."  "That's OK." I said, "Maybe they will in time."

David's Kingdom is being overthrown by his own rebellious son.  David became the ruler of Israel by God's plan.  David never did anything to hurt Saul or Saul's family.  He simply followed-through on the ministry God had called him to do.  Saul's family, however, hated David for this.  They wanted their own family to be in charge.  It didn't matter that David had done nothing wrong.  They just didn't like him.  The result?  They threw false accusations at him while he was on the run from his own son.  A bad situation just got worse.

"Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?" Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. "Let me go over and cut off his head!" "No!" the king said. "Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the LORD has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?" Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn't this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to do it. And perhaps the LORD will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today." (2 Samuel 16:9-12 NLT)

David handled these false accusations with great poise and wisdom.  He was certainly strong enough to silence these accusers.  He was certainly smart enough to argue with them and "prove" that they were wrong.  He did neither.  He simply let them voice their frustration, knowing they were wrong.  He looked at the situation through their eyes, empathized with their perspective, and didn't let them get him down.

Sometimes the better part of wisdom is knowing when to keep silent.  It's not important to show what you know or to prove others wrong.  What's important is that you know where God is walking and that you join Him.  He will work it all out in the end.  Perhaps they will change their mind.  Perhaps they won't.  In either case, God will know the truth...and so will you.

So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing as he went and throwing stones at David and tossing dust into the air. (2 Samuel 16:13 NLT)

Rebellious Son

A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, "All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!" "Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!" David urged his men. "Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster." (2 Samuel 15:13-14 NLT)

I'm so grateful for the children God has given me.  They're not perfect, but then again, neither is their earthly father.  That being said, raising children is not for the faint of heart.  It takes many hours, hard work, and lots and lots of wisdom.  That is one of the reasons I find myself turning to God in prayer so often.  I need His wisdom.

David was a man after God's own heart.  When it came to his children, though, he made his fair share of mistakes.  Maybe he didn't set the best example with Bathsheba.  Maybe he simply didn't teach them well because he was unwilling to admit his own guilt.  Maybe he was afraid to raise them in the discipline and teaching of the LORD.  Whatever the reason, David ended up with rebellious children.  One son raped his daughter.  Another son killed the first son.  Now his son was rebelling to take over the Kingdom.  David's response?  He ran.  The problem is, God's law clearly told David at the time what to do with a rebellious son.

"Suppose a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him. In such a case, the father and mother must take the son to the elders as they hold court at the town gate. The parents must say to the elders, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and refuses to obey. He is a glutton and a drunkard.' Then all the men of his town must stone him to death. In this way, you will purge this evil from among you, and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid. (Deuteronomy 21:18-21 NLT)

Like I said, helping a child move into the independence of adulthood is a harrowing task at times.  Nonetheless, it is the ministry God has entrusted into the hands of every parent.  We are called to empower our children to walk together with God.  The more we work with them in the younger years, the easier it is as they grow older.  As the saying goes, "When they are little, they have little problems.  When they are big, they have big problems."  David apparently didn't work through the little problems.  Now he is working through big problems...with a rebellious son.

Conspiracy

After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe. Then Absalom would say, "You've really got a strong case here! It's too bad the king doesn't have anyone to hear it. I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!" When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn't let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel. (2 Samuel 15:1-6 NLT)

I've been working with my son to teach him politics and government.  This is a part of his home school curriculum.  We've been reviewing different styles of government - everything from monarchies and empires to democracies and republics.  Every style defines how power is obtained and maintained by those in power.  Government is, by definition, determining how people are governed.

Absalom doesn't like how his father, David, is running the nation of Israel.  Since he is David's son, he would be in the line of succession for a monarchy.  However, Absalom is not David's first choice.  He knows that.  In addition, Absalom is angry at David for the way he handled the rape of Tamar.  Absalom has decided to take matters into his own hands.

After four years, Absalom said to the king, "Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the LORD and fulfill a vow I made to Him. For while your servant was at Geshur in Aram, I promised to sacrifice to the LORD in Hebron if he would bring me back to Jerusalem." "All right," the king told him. "Go and fulfill your vow." So Absalom went to Hebron. But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king. "As soon as you hear the ram's horn," his message read, "you are to say, 'Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.'" He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions. (2 Samuel 15:7-11 NLT)

Absalom began a conspiracy that was designed to remove David from the throne and place Absalom as the new king.  He started by spending four years building a good name with all the people.  Now, he is ready to make his move.  He goes to Hebron - the first settling place of their ancestor, Abraham, and prepares to declare himself as king.  He brings 200 people with him to kick things off.  Then reveals his plan.

While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David's counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum. (2 Samuel 15:12 NLT)

Conspiracies are all about overthrowing the existing seat of power so another person can have that power.  Conspiracies are about taking control.  In God's Kingdom, though, this makes no sense.  God is the one in control.  No one can overthrow the reign of an all-powerful God.  Even angelic beings, more powerful than us, learned this lesson the hard way.  

Leadership in God's Kingdom is not about power.  It's about following the King who has All Power and encouraging others to do the same.  When you lead well and they follow you, they follow your King.  They may even get better at leading people to Him than you are.  This would something to celebrate, not something to fight against.  

Should they conspire against you, they are really conspiring against Him and His Kingdom.  Again, the picture is different.  You find yourself not fighting against the conspirators, but trying to save them from the wrath of your King.  They will not win.  The only question is, will they change their minds about the conspiracy before it's too late and judgement day arrives.

I never worry about conspiracies in The Church - not because they don't exist, but because, as a leader, I have nothing to lose.  I don't have power to protect or maintain.  That's God's position.  I simply need to make sure I follow Him with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength.  Then, I can approach conspirators like any other person who is against God - like a human being, made in His Image, who had been deceived and taken captive by His enemies.  I work toward bringing them back to Him.

Reconciled

He stayed there in Geshur for three years. And King David, now reconciled to Amnon's death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom. (2 Samuel 13:38-39 NLT)

It's hard to imagine forgiving someone for murdering your son.  It's not quite as hard to imagine when the murderer is also your son.  It creates tension inside just to think about, doesn't it?  One child is dead.  Your other child is the murderer...and your child.  It took three years to work through these struggle, but he finally reached the place where his heart was changing.  Seeing this, David's friend went into action.

Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom. So he sent for a woman from Tekoa who had a reputation for great wisdom. He said to her, "Pretend you are in mourning; wear mourning clothes and don't put on lotions. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time. Then go to the king and tell him the story I am about to tell you." Then Joab told her what to say. When the woman from Tekoa approached the king, she bowed with her face to the ground in deep respect and cried out, "O king! Help me!" "What's the trouble?" the king asked. "Alas, I am a widow!" she replied. "My husband is dead. My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed. Now the rest of the family is demanding, 'Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother. He doesn't deserve to inherit his family's property.' They want to extinguish the only coal I have left, and my husband's name and family will disappear from the face of the earth." "Leave it to me," the king told her. "Go home, and I'll see to it that no one touches him." "Oh, thank you, my lord the king," the woman from Tekoa replied. "If you are criticized for helping me, let the blame fall on me and on my father's house, and let the king and his throne be innocent." "If anyone objects," the king said, "bring him to me. I can assure you he will never complain again!" Then she said, "Please swear to me by the LORD your God that you won't let anyone take vengeance against my son. I want no more bloodshed." "As surely as the LORD lives," he replied, "not a hair on your son's head will be disturbed!" "Please allow me to ask one more thing of my lord the king," she said. "Go ahead and speak," he responded. She replied, "Why don't you do as much for the people of God as you have promised to do for me? You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your own banished son. All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him. "I have come to plead with my lord the king because people have threatened me. I said to myself, 'Perhaps the king will listen to me and rescue us from those who would cut us off from the inheritance God has given us. Yes, my lord the king will give us peace of mind again.' I know that you are like an angel of God in discerning good from evil. May the LORD your God be with you." (2 Samuel 14:1-17 NLT)

I already spoke about the kind of effect bad friends can have on our lives.  Now, we see the kind of effect good friends can have on our lives.  David's heart had softened, but was not ready to forgive or reconcile.  Those are two steps that we often struggle to take.  Forgiveness is about letting God take care of justice.  Reconciliation is about rebuilding our relationship with the person.  I've met people who have gone most of their lives not willing to do either.  David was almost ready after three years.  A good friend helped David take those last Godly steps.

"I must know one thing," the king replied, "and tell me the truth." "Yes, my lord the king," she responded. "Did Joab put you up to this?" And the woman replied, "My lord the king, how can I deny it? Nobody can hide anything from you. Yes, Joab sent me and told me what to say. He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!" So the king sent for Joab and told him, "All right, go and bring back the young man Absalom." Joab bowed with his face to the ground in deep respect and said, "At last I know that I have gained your approval, my lord the king, for you have granted me this request!" Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 14:18-23 NLT)

Are you still holding on to that grudge.  Isn't time to forgive.  Better yet, isn't it time to reconcile?  Then we will be able to enjoy the peace of God.

The Right Fight

Two years later, when Absalom's sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king's sons to come to a feast. He went to the king and said, "My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?" The king replied, "No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you." Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing. "Well, then," Absalom said, "if you can't come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?" "Why Amnon?" the king asked. But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.  (2 Samuel 13:23-27 NLT)

My dad used to have a saying: "Locks only keep the honest people honest."  After fighting in World War II, serving as a uniform police officer, and excelling as a homicide detective; I can see why he would recognize the dark side of people.  He wasn't trying to be cynical - just recognizing that if someone really wants to break into your car and take the wallet in the driver's seat, he will break the window.  Door locks won't do a thing.

Most crimes are committed in a person's mind long before he or she acts upon it.  Even if the specifics of the crime aren't rehearsed, we allow the seeds of the crime to take root in our mind and blossom until it overflows in our words and actions.  That's what happened to Absalom.  He spent two years letting the seeds of anger and bitterness take root and become full grown: mature.  He had hatred in his heart.  He was ready to kill Amnon for raping his sister.

Absalom told his men, "Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him! Don't be afraid. I'm the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!" So at Absalom's signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled. As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: "Absalom has killed all the king's sons; not one is left alive!" The king got up, tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground. His advisers also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow. But just then Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimea, arrived and said, "No, don't believe that all the king's sons have been killed! It was only Amnon! Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped his sister Tamar. No, my lord the king, your sons aren't all dead! It was only Amnon." (2 Samuel 13:28-33 NLT)

Most people look at me a little strangely when I teach "bad box" classes about our minds and hearts.  They wonder why I struggle with frustration when those closest to me openly, consistently defy God's design for our lives.  They don't see what I see.  The battle needs to be fought...and won in our minds and hearts.  That way, seeds of evil don't have a chance to grow - ending up in no place good.

Meanwhile Absalom escaped. Then the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming down the hill on the road from the west. He ran to tell the king, "I see a crowd of people coming from the Horonaim road along the side of the hill." "Look!" Jonadab told the king. "There they are now! The king's sons are coming, just as I said." They soon arrived, weeping and sobbing, and the king and all his servants wept bitterly with them. And David mourned many days for his son Amnon. Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. He stayed there in Geshur for three years. (2 Samuel 13:34-38 NLT)

David didn't fight the battle in his mind.  It poured out evil on Bathsheba, Uriah (her husband), and David's children.

Amnon didn't fight the battle in his mind.  It poured out evil on Tamar (his half-sister) and Absalom.

Absalom didn't fight the battle in his mind.  It poured out evil on Amnon (killing him) and David.

I pray that I will fight the right battles in my mind - throwing away any hint of evil and dwelling on the good.

I pray that you will fight the right fight, in the right place, as well - so that you may be a source of good wherever you go, too.

Bare Minimum

But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying. Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, "Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he's your brother. Don't you worry about it." So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom's house. When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry. And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister. (2 Samuel 13:19-22 NLT)

Whenever something bad happens, we all struggle with our response.

How would I respond to Tamar?  She  was just raped by her half-brother.

How to I respond to Amnon?  He planned and executed this evil.

How would I respond as David, her father?  How would I respond as Absalom, her brother?

Most importantly, how does God want me to respond?

I never like dealing with "where's the line" kind of questions.  I always feel like people are asking, "What's the bare minimum I can do to not get zapped by God?"  When in reality we should be asking, "What is God's picture for my life and how can I get closer to it?"

God's picture for marriage and sexuality is quite clear...and beautiful.  He wants a man and a woman to commit before God that they will live life faithfully loving one another.  They communicate this pledge to witnesses so everyone knows of the commitment.  Then, they can share the pleasure of sexual intimacy and the resulting children as gifts from God.  This is His design.

When things fall short of this picture, then, we end up asking what to do to restore the picture.  In David's day, the law gave many examples to help them understand what to do.

First of all, sleeping together without marriage is wrong.  Punishment for wrong will take place.

If the woman is engaged or married to another man, someone is going to die.  If they both chose to sleep together, they both died.  If he raped her, only the man died - she was the victim. (Deuteronomy 22:22-27)

Tamar, however, wasn't married or engaged, so different laws apply.

Since you can't just "hook up" without the rest of the package of marriage (loving, providing, protecting, etc.), the man is told to marry the woman he slept with and never to leave her.  He must take care of her the rest of their lives. (Deuteronomy 22:28-29)  This part of the Old Testament law is still lived out every time there is a "shot gun wedding" that takes place - although nowadays it often doesn't happen until their's a pregnancy involved.  The reality, though, was that God wanted couples to commit to loving and caring for one another, then bring children into that picture.

Tamar, however, was Amnon's half-sister.  Additional laws, then apply.

Don't sleep with your sister or half-sister. (Leviticus 18:9)  This comes in a long list of prospects you can and can't have sexual relations with.  By extension, then, you really couldn't marry them either.  I guess you could technically marry the person, take them into your household and care, and never have sexual relations, but Amnon was clearly not interested in taking care of Tamar.  He just wanted what he got.

So, the bare minimum that should happen, then, is this.

Tamar should not be punished in any way.  She was the victim - not at fault.

Amnon should be exiled from the Israelite community (Leviticus 18:29)

Instead,

David got angry and did nothing.

Absalom grew in anger, bitterness, and hatred; fueled by seeing Amnon on a regular basis.

God's instructions weren't followed and it would create even more problems.

I know that we don't always understand  the reasons for God's way.  But at some point in our lives, it really helps to trust that His way is best.  It helps even more when we follow His way.  Even the "bare minimum" would have given Tamar the ability to heal without facing Amnon all the time.  God's solutions would have put Amnon out of sight, so Absalom would have time to calm down.  God's solution would have encouraged Tamar and Absolom that David was at least doing something to punish Amnon rather than just letting him get away with it.  God's way, even the "bare minimum," always points us back to justice, healing, and good.

I Cringe

Now David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her. Amnon became so obsessed with Tamar that he became ill. She was a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her. (2 Samuel 13:1-2 NLT)

There are some stories in the Bible that I really don't like reading.  I cringe every time I go back through and read them again.  This is one of those stories.  Nothing good comes out of it.  God is certainly not pleased.

First of all, David made his mistake with Bathsheba.  Not going to war when it was "time" for kings to do such things, staring at Bathsheba when she was taking a bath, inviting her over, sleeping with her, and killing her husband...every step was bad.  In fact, with each step David got worse.  In the end, David admitted he was wrong and asked God to forgive him.  He also stopped this behavior.  He learned to exercise self control.

Now Amnon is starting down the same path.  He starts watching a beautiful girl that he is not allowed to have.  Rather than throw the thought away, Amnon obsesses over her.  He doesn't even try to get her out of her mind.

Here's the first place I cringe.  I've heard way too many people blame God for their attractions or obsessions.  They ask me questions like, "How can it be wrong if God made me attracted to him (or her)?"  The answer is simple.  God did not make you attracted to that person.  God clearly defines what is ok and what is not ok in this area.  It's not ok to be attracted to another man's wife, David.  It's not ok to be attracted to your sister, Amnon.  These are forbidden by God.  That means the attraction is a temptation to do evil, not something good given by God.  David figured it out the hard way.  Amnon still hasn't.

But Amnon had a very crafty friend—his cousin Jonadab. He was the son of David's brother Shimea. One day Jonadab said to Amnon, "What's the trouble? Why should the son of a king look so dejected morning after morning?" So Amnon told him, "I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister." "Well," Jonadab said, "I'll tell you what to do. Go back to bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and prepare some food for you. Tell him you'll feel better if she prepares it as you watch and feeds you with her own hands." (2 Samuel 13:3-5 NLT)

This is the second place I cringe.  Jonadab is not a good friend.  I've struggled with this over the years as I watch and guide my children growing up.  Nobody is perfect.  I get that.  But surrounding yourself with friends who don't even attempt to walk with God...well...that's dangerous.  You're putting yourself in a situation where you have to be a positive influence on their lives all the time and they will always try to pull you away from that walk.  Jonadab should have tried to help Amnon get over his obsession.  Jonadab should have pointed his friend toward self-control.  Jonadab should have offered to hold Amnon accountable.  Were this about drinking and driving, Jonadab should have taken Amnon's keys.  Instead, Jonadab did the equivalent of getting Amnon all liquored up, handed him the keys, put him in the drivers seat, and started the engine for him.  Then he got out of the car and watched.  I really cringe.

So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, "Please let my sister Tamar come and cook my favorite dish as I watch. Then I can eat it from her own hands." So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon's house to prepare some food for him. When Tamar arrived at Amnon's house, she went to the place where he was lying down so he could watch her mix some dough. Then she baked his favorite dish for him. (2 Samuel 13:6-8 NLT)

This is the third place I cringe.  Tamar was trying to do what was good, kind, and compassionate.  Because she wasn't aware of the possibility of evil in this situation, she is about to become a victim.  Nothing in this story indicates that Tamar does anything to tempt, attract, or encourage Amnon's actions.  She is simply taking care of her sick brother.  She will get attacked.  I cringe because I've counselled far too many people who have been innocent victims of sexual abuse.  They were young, innocent, and unaware of what was going to happen to them.  The result is that they fight battles in their mind and hearts 10, 20, 30, and 40+ years later.  They struggle with guilt, thinking somehow it was their fault.  They have emotional and spiritual wounds that stay open at worse, or leave big scars at best.  I cringe because we live in a world where we have to protect against such horrible sin - even from those closest to us.

But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat. "Everyone get out of here," Amnon told his servants. So they all left. Then he said to Tamar, "Now bring the food into my bedroom and feed it to me here." So Tamar took his favorite dish to him. But as she was feeding him, he grabbed her and demanded, "Come to bed with me, my darling sister." "No, my brother!" she cried. "Don't be foolish! Don't do this to me! Such wicked things aren't done in Israel. Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me." But Amnon wouldn't listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her. Then suddenly Amnon's love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. "Get out of here!" he snarled at her. "No, no!" Tamar cried. "Sending me away now is worse than what you've already done to me." But Amnon wouldn't listen to her. He shouted for his servant and demanded, "Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her!" So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe, as was the custom in those days for the king's virgin daughters. But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying. (2 Samuel 13:9-19 NLT)

I hate this last part.  I wouldn't want to watch this part if it was a movie.  Evil wins out over good.  Amnon loses because he listens to the tempter - driving him to evil.  Tamar loses because she is overpowered by a man who is listening to and following evil.  Everyone will loose because of the ripple-effects of evil that will continue on after this story.  I cringe.

Dear friend, don't let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God's children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God. (3 John 1:11 NLT)

This is why I work to understand God's ways and follow them in my own life.  I want to be a source of good.

This is why I chose a wife who follows God.  I want our marriage to be a source of good.

This is why I teach my children to walk with God.  I want our family to be a source of good.

This is why our family strives to be good friends to those close to us.  We want to encourage others toward good.

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. (1 Thessalonians 5:15 NLT)

Consequences

Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the LORD by doing this, your child will die." After Nathan returned to his home, the LORD sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah's wife. (2 Samuel 12:14-15 NLT)

David was released from the sin he had committed with Bathsheba and for the death of Bathsheba's Husband, Uriah.  This brings me joy at times - the times when I've messed up and need forgiveness myself.  It brings me outrage at others - the times when people sin against me and it seems like nothing is being done. But, sin is always punished with death.  God told us that is the price.  David was about to watch the price of his own sin being lived out in front of him.

David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused. (2 Samuel 12:16-17 NLT)

When we go to God in prayer, we invite God to act.  The thing we need to remember is that God makes up his own mind.  In this case, David was going to see and experience at least some of the consequences for his own actions.  David would watch his son die.

We don't know what it is like to see the consequences of our own actions - not really.  The penalty of death must be paid for sin and, for those who receive the gift, it has been paid already.  God came down in the form of the man, Jesus, and laid down his life for us.  He died so that we might live.  

I wonder if my life would be different had I seen him die on the cross.  I wonder if Christians as a whole would be different.  I wonder if we would pray more, listen to Him more, and sin less because we remembered the horrendous images from that day.  I wonder if it would change us to see the consequences of our actions.

Then on the seventh day the child died. David's advisers were afraid to tell him. "He wouldn't listen to reason while the child was ill," they said. "What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?" When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead." Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the LORD. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate. His advisers were amazed. "We don't understand you," they told him. "While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again." David replied, "I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, 'Perhaps the LORD will be gracious to me and let the child live.' But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me." (2 Samuel 12:18-23 NLT)

David moved on with his life, but his life would never be the same.  He would always remember what had happened as a result of his sin.  This time in his life would always be remembered as his great fall from grace.  It would also be remembered as the time he returned to God again.  He began following God again.  He will still be remembered as a man after God's own heart.  Is that how we will be remembered - as people after God's own heart?  We can always start today.

Three Fingers

So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest." (2 Samuel 12:1-4 NLT)

David had messed up.  He took another man's wife, slept with her, got her pregnant, tried to cover it up, then murdered her husband and took her as his own wife.  This is about as bad as it gets.  Nathan, the prophet, is about to confront David with his sin.

I don't know if you're like this or not, but I've noticed a pattern in my life.  When I mess up, I have a tendency to get upset at other people's mistakes.  Maybe it's some kind of deflection  or defense mechanism, but I seem to see all the negative things they do wrong when I'm feeling guilt over what I've done wrong.  That's exactly what David did as well.

David was furious. "As surely as the LORD lives," he vowed, "any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity." Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your master's house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own. (2 Samuel 12:5-10 NLT)

"You have despised me," says God.  Those are really harsh words.  Have you ever thought of your sin as a way of "despising" God?  Someone taught me many years ago to stop pointing my finger at people to place blame.  Whenever I point at someone else, I have three fingers pointing back at myself.  Usually, when I'm pointing out someone's fault, I'm really trying to cover up my own weaknesses, fault, or sin.  Now, I've learned to recognize the warning signs.  When I'm ready to get upset at someone else and point out their faults, I need to examine myself to see if my conscience is clean.

"This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel." Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won't die for this sin. (2 Samuel 12:11-13 NLT)

Rather than looking for someone to blame, I now know it is better to search myself.  Wherever I fall short, I repent and turn back to God.  That's when His forgiveness becomes real to me.  That's when I find peace again.  That's when I can start, again, to walk together with God.

In the Mud

In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. (2 Samuel 11:1-2 NLT)

I find myself hesitating to even write on this passage of Scripture because so many sermons, lessons, and books have been presented on the subject.  King David is about to fall from grace.  He's going to take another man's wife, get her pregnant, then kill the man who is her husband.  Then he marries the woman himself, breaking the laws against coveting, adultery, and murder.  David really blows it this time.

He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite." Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. (2 Samuel 11:3-4 NLT)

When we want to go against God, it's amazing how quickly we justify our actions.  Bathsheba had just completed the purification rites after her menstrual period.  That means she's allowed to have sexual intercourse again.  The law prevented her from having intercourse during the seven days of her cycle.  Now it's ok...with her husband.

Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, "I'm pregnant." Then David sent word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." So Joab sent him to David. When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. Then he told Uriah, "Go on home and relax. " David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. But Uriah didn't go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king's palace guard. (2 Samuel 11:5-9 NLT)

God's design for human sexuality is really quite beautiful.  A man and a woman make a commitment before God to be faithful to one another.  This brings them together into a special covenant-commitment relationship called marriage.  Everyone knows they are in that relationship, so we know those two are no longer available as potential mates.  The two of them are given a gift by God.  That gift gives intimacy, pleasure, and the gift of children.  It's no wonder we are attracted to the desire to have this in our lives.

When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, "What's the matter? Why didn't you go home last night after being away for so long?" Uriah replied, "The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master's men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing." "Well, stay here today," David told him, "and tomorrow you may return to the army." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn't get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king's palace guard. So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. The letter instructed Joab, "Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed." (2 Samuel 11:10-15 NLT)

The problem occurs when we start wanting part of that picture without the other parts.  Usually the part everyone wants separated out is the sexual pleasure.  We say that sexuality with someone over a certain age and another person under that age is wrong, but two under age people are "experimenting" and two people over that age are "consenting."  We train our children how to have sexual intercourse "safely" then are shocked when they get pregnant or contract a life-threatening disease.  When they do get pregnant, we tell them they have a "choice" to remove the "growth" inside them before it becomes a "problem."  We tell them to go ahead and live together with their prospective spouse to find out if they are "compatible" sexually.  Even after marriage, we say, they can leave and go to another if they simply "fall out of love"...it's not their "fault"...God must have a plan. When we cannot deal with the differences between the genders, we tell them to go ahead and get sexual pleasure from someone of the same gender...at least there's no risk of getting pregnant that way.  We've taken God's picture and completely drug it though the mud, stomped on it, and left it nearly impossible to see.

So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy's strongest men were fighting. And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers. Then Joab sent a battle report to David. He told his messenger, "Report all the news of the battle to the king. But he might get angry and ask, 'Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn't they know there would be shooting from the walls? Wasn't Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?' Then tell him, 'Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.'" So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. "The enemy came out against us in the open fields," he said. "And as we chased them back to the city gate, the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king's men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite." "Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged," David said. "The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!" (2 Samuel 11:16-25 NLT)

The only thing we haven't completely condoned and taught our children is murder.  We still call that wrong, write laws against it, and lock people up when they do it.  Had David lived today, his story wouldn't even make a good soap opera.  It definitely wouldn't make it to prime time television.  It's simply too tame...too boring.  It's been done...over and over again.

When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the LORD was displeased with what David had done. (2 Samuel 11:26-27 NLT)

Me? I like God's picture.  I enjoy my wife, the intimacy we have, and the children we've received.  I give thanks for each of these gifts, not because I'm afraid of God's displeasure, but because the picture really is beautiful.  It's a shame more people haven't figured that out.  I think if they actually saw it and realized how great it was, they would pull the picture out of the mud, clean it off, and enjoy it themselves, too.

Hanunian Mistake

Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. David said, "I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me." So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father's death. (2 Samuel 10:1-2a NLT)

Have you ever misunderstood someone's intentions?  Hanun is the new king of Ammon and he's about to make a life-altering mistake.  David, from a neighboring kingdom, wants to express condolences to Hanun because he just lost his father and king.  David was doing a good, kind thing.

But when David's ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, "Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!" So Hanun seized David's ambassadors and shaved off half of each man's beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame. (2 Samuel 10:2-4 NLT)

Hanun fought a battle in his own mind and lost.  Thoughts kept trying to convince him that David's intentions were bad.  He listened to bad counsel.  He made a horrible mistake.

When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to tell the men, "Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back." For they felt deep shame because of their appearance. When the people of Ammon realized how seriously they had angered David, they sent and hired 20,000 Aramean foot soldiers from the lands of Beth-rehob and Zobah, 1,000 from the king of Maacah, and 12,000 from the land of Tob. When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all his warriors to fight them. (2 Samuel 10:5-7 NLT)

War broke out between these two countries because Hanun believed a lie.  In the end, tens of thousands died, relationship between the countries was severed, and Hanun was no longer the king.  He blew it because he didn't fight the right fight in his own mind.

All too often I see families marriages destroyed, families ripped apart, and life-long damage done simply because someone believes a lie.  I've been on both sides of this battle: 1) trying to determine the truth while being lied to, and 2) being attacked because someone believes a lie about me.  Neither situation is good.

Lies are powerful things.  When we believe a lie, we live as though it is true.  In Hanun's case, it brought about massive destruction.

Don't make a Hanunian mistake.  Don't buy lies.  Learn to discern the truth.  Remember that Hanun listened to bad counsel.  Only God provides perfect counsel and never lies.  Turn to Him for Wisdom.  Then, watch Him work in you and through you to to make a difference...for the good.

Word

One day David asked, "Is anyone in Saul's family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul's servants. "Are you Ziba?" the king asked. "Yes sir, I am," Ziba replied. The king then asked him, "Is anyone still alive from Saul's family? If so, I want to show God's kindness to them." Ziba replied, "Yes, one of Jonathan's sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet." "Where is he?" the king asked. "In Lo-debar," Ziba told him, "at the home of Makir son of Ammiel." So David sent for him and brought him from Makir's home. (2 Samuel 9:1-5 NLT)

I kind of got a kick out of learning more recent slang last year.  I had college students who were willing to teach me what to say and what it meant.  "Word" suddenly had a completely different meaning.  It became a way of saying "how's it going," "what's up," or even "hello."  It took a little getting used to when someone would say, "Word up?"

Words can be very powerful things.  They have the power to build someone up or tear them down.  Words have meaning, purpose, tone, and flow.  A word can cast an immensely large vision and inspire countless numbers to pursue it.  Words are able to change minds and, as a result, change the world.

While Saul was still alive and King, he asked for David's word. "Now swear to me by the LORD that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!" So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home..."(1 Samuel 24:21-22 NLT)

David had given his word.  Now he was going to follow-through on it.

His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, "Greetings, Mephibosheth." Mephibosheth replied, "I am your servant." "Don't be afraid!" David said. "I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king's table!" (2 Samuel 9:6-7 NLT)

I'm sure Mephibosheth was grateful that David was a man of his word.  It changed his world.

Evil

After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town. David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David's subjects and paid him tribute money. David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River. David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots. When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them. Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David's subjects and paid him tribute money. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went. (2 Samuel 8:1-6 NLT)

Perhaps the greatest struggle we face in our walk with God is one of trust.  Do we really trust that God is good?  Do we believe that He will take care of us?  Does he really work things together for our good?  Why, then, is there so much evil in the world?  To be sure, there is no easy answer to the presence of evil in the world.  I do, however, have a few observations that have helped me come to terms with things over the years.

First of all, God designed the world in such a way that we would experience good and blessings.  Every desire He placed in us was met with an abundance of satisfaction.  Air, food, purpose, and companionship were all provided by God.  He even offered to protect us from temptation, sin, and death by teaching us how the world works.  God wants good for us.

Part of His design is the opportunity to make decisions on our own.  The very fact that we question God is a gift given by God.  We are allowed to ask question.  We're not zombies or robots.  We're free to learn and grow and make decisions.  This is a part of the beauty of His design for our lives.  With great freedom, however, comes great responsibility.  God wants us to choose wisely.  He freely, openly, provides that wisdom and direction.  We decide what to do with it.

When we go against His design, God has put in place an appropriate retribution system.  We will pay the price for the evil that we contribute to the world.  He teaches us that over and over again.  Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden.  Cain was punished for killing Able.  The animal sacrifices included in the Levitical law reminded us that sin deserves death - and that we will pay the price.  God even showed us how much he detests evil by wiping out the world in Noah's day, destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, and commanding the Israelites to wipe out the people in the Promised Land (they were sacrificing their children to gods - burning them on altars - Leviticus 18:21).

God does not want evil in the world.  He warns us against it.  He punishes us for doing it.  However, He allows us to choose it.

Why, then, does evil exist?  Because He doesn't destroy us.  We choose evil and inflict it on ourselves and others around us.  While we will pay the price for what we say and do, God isn't just holy and fair.  He also loves us.  He wants us to come back to Him.  We call this Mercy (not giving us what we deserve right away), Grace (giving us a gift we don't deserve), and Love (choosing to what is best for us - no matter what we choose).

By allowing evil to continue in the world, God is giving you the opportunity to change.  He gives us time to change our minds.  He's waiting for us to come back to Him. He gives us an opportunity to knock it off.  

God patiently waits for us to stop evil in the world - our world.  It's the only world we have control over.  We can stop speaking evil words and doing evil things.  We can choose to be Holy as He is Holy.  When we do, we stop evil in one place in this world.  

What is His plan?  

Come back to Him.  

Stop doing evil.  

Empower one more to do the same.  

Then, and only then, will we stop seeing evil in the world.

Don't blame God for evil in the world.

Do your part: Stop contributing to it.

The Messenger

When King David was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, the king summoned Nathan the prophet. "Look," David said, "I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!" Nathan replied to the king, "Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you." (2 Samuel 7:1-3 NLT)

I never realized how much I did this until I entered full-time vocational ministry.  I've often equated the messenger with the message he or she is sharing.  When I like the message that I hear, I end up liking the messenger.  When, for whatever reason, I don't like the message shared with me, I end up thinking the messenger is good as well.  I'm guessing David liked Nathan at this point.  Nathan told David that he could do what he wanted to do.  However, that was about to change...

But that same night the LORD said to Nathan, "Go and tell My servant David, 'This is what the LORD has declared: 

Are you the one to build a house for Me to live in? I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as My dwelling. Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel's tribal leaders, the shepherds of My people Israel. I have never asked them, "Why haven't you built Me a beautiful cedar house?"' 

"Now go and say to My servant David, 'This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies has declared: 

I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of My people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. 

Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! And I will provide a homeland for My people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won't oppress them as they've done in the past, starting from the time I appointed judges to rule My people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. 

"'Furthermore, the LORD declares that He will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. 

He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for My name... (2 Samuel 7:4-16 NLT)

Nathan would need to go back to David and give him a message from God.  The message is even better than, "do what you want."  This is a message of blessings for David, his children, and all of Israel.  God was going to bless them all!

Did you notice the other point of the message?  No house for you.  No, David, you are not going to build God's house.  Your intentions are good, but they don't match God's plans.  Nathan spoke too soon before, but now he got it right.

It's tough to hear a message from someone that doesn't match what you want to do.  I've learned over the years, though, that it's more important that the message is accurately reflecting the will of God rather than matching what I hope will be said.  It's the message - the accurate, true message - that matters most.  Then I can know how to walk together with God.  I pray for the wisdom to discern His Message when it is shared with me.  I also pray for His Guidance to ensure that I accurately share His Message as well.  That way, I not only enjoy walking together with God.  I also enjoy empowering one more as well.

Get To Work

Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, "We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the LORD told you, 'You will be the shepherd of My people Israel. You will be Israel's leader.'" So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the LORD with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel. (2 Samuel 5:1-3 NLT)

I remember going through grade school, high school, and college.  I always had a sense that I wanted to "get on" with my life.  All this learning and preparation was fine, but I wanted to get out into the world and start doing whatever it was that I was going to do.

Once I entered the business world, I still had a sense that there was something more to my life and calling than the job I was doing.  I tried to fight off the feelings, but they would never subside.  I worked and received promotions.  They feeling didn't go away.  I changed companies and worked my way up.  The feeling didn't go away.  I changed jobs in the company.  The feeling didn't go away.  I always knew there was something more for me to be doing that somehow all this work was still "preparation" for something else.

I wonder if that was the way David felt.  He slayed Goliath when he was still a boy.  Even before that, he was selected by God and anointed by Samuel as the next king of Israel.  David has been waiting for a long time to fulfill his calling as king.  But everything he has encountered in life prepared him to take the next step in front of him.  Now, he is finally king.

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. (2 Samuel 5:4 NLT)

You can read the rest of the chapter on your own, but what you'll find is a man who is ready to do what is called to do.  He sets up a headquarters: the city of David.  He begins clearing out their enemies and setting up fortifications.  He gets married.  He has children.  More than anything, he makes sure he's walking together with the LORD.  It was clearly time to dig in...time to get to work.

I'm so grateful for the last 10+ years of my life.  It was time when I was able to transition from "preparation" to "digging in."  God let me be a part of starting a new church where before there was none.  He let me be a part of thousands of lives and hundreds of decisions for Christ.  I've gotten to live a part of my life where it didn't just feel like I was preparing for something, but I was doing something worthwhile - every moment - every day.

Looking back on the last ten years, though, I realize that "doing something" has also served as preparation as well.  God continues to use our past experiences to prepare us for the next step He has in store for us.  This is still true for me today.  It's time to dig in.  It's time to get to work.  It's time to more effectively "empower one more to walk together with God."  

Thank you, LORD, for the life you've given me.  

I'm so grateful for You, Your Mission, and that Your Plan includes. me.  

Thank you for Jesus - the one who lived his part of Your Plan perfectly. 

 It's through him that I pray.  Amen

Not My Fight

That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul's dynasty became weaker and weaker. (2 Samuel 3:1 NLT)

David now finds himself at war with his own people.  This would be the equivalent, for us, of the Civil War.  Brother was fighting against brother.  The outcome would determine the future of the nation: who would lead and where we would go next.  David, however, didn't pick this fight.  He was simply trying to follow God and live out the calling given to him by God.  He really didn't want this fight, but he was in the middle of it.

I've had many times throughout my life where I've found myself in the midst of a fight for similar reasons.  I try to walk with God and people around me decide to turn that into a fight, even when I have no desire to stir up dissension.  I try to share God's love and people turn that into a fight, even when I try to share in a way that is non-threatening and encouraging.  What should I do when they want to fight?

As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on, Abner became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul. One day Ishbosheth, Saul's son, accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father's concubines, a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah. Abner was furious. "Am I some Judean dog to be kicked around like this?" he shouted. "After all I have done for your father, Saul, and his family and friends by not handing you over to David, is this my reward—that you find fault with me about this woman? May God strike me and even kill me if I don't do everything I can to help David get what the LORD has promised him! (2 Samuel 3:6-9 NLT)

God turned things around in such a way that David didn't need to fight this time.  Dissension began to build in Saul's household because they were not walking with God.  They were being power-hungry and greedy.  The result was chaos.

I've learned over the years that just because someone wants to pick a fight, doesn't mean I need to join them.  Often times it is better to let them "work it out" on their own.  Meanwhile, I continue my walk with God.  They may come around to a place where I have an opportunity to share again.  I may not.  I need to remember that God's team is much bigger than just me.  I need to learn to fight the battles He want's me to fight and leave the others alone.  Sometimes, it's just not my fight.

Faithfully, Patiently Waiting

Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah. When David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, he sent them this message: "May the LORD bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial. May the LORD be loyal to you in return and reward you with His unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done. Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Judah, who have anointed me as their new king." (2 Samuel 2:4-7 NLT)

Saul, the king of all Israel, has now passed away.  David has already been anointed king by the prophet, Samuel.  Now he needs to be confirmed by the people as their king.  Judah, the southern tribe(s), has now confirmed David as their king.  The rest of Israel needs to respond.

But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul' army, had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul's son Ishbosheth. There he proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel. Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years. Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David. (2 Samuel 2:8-10 NLT)

David wouldn't be King of Israel...at least not yet.  He would need to wait for years before the rest of the Kingdom was under his command.  For now, David would need to wait.  How would he respond?  Would he be angry with the people of Israel for not acknowledging his God-ordained leadership role?  Would he get angry with God for not giving him what He had promised?  What would David do?

David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years. (2 Samuel 2:11 NLT)

Sometimes we just need to wait.  God has something more in store for us, but we really don't know what it will be.  David even knew what his future would be, but all the wishing in the world wouldn't make it happen faster.  He remained faithful to the part of God's plan he had to live out that day.  He ruled the southern kingdom faithfully while waiting for the rest.  No fighting. No worrying.  No complaining.

All too often we want God to fulfill His promises or work out the details of His Plan in our lives.  We want Him to do it right away.  We forget that part of His Plan includes our patient faithfulness.  He wants us to see that we can wait.  He wants us to see that we can overcome adversity.  He wants us to learn to enjoy the walk in all circumstances.  

Are you faithfully, patiently waiting?  Enjoy the walk while you wait.