He Reigns and He's Going To Return.

Psalm 110

The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies. ­– Psalm 110:2 NLT

This is a Messianic Psalm. It predicts the coming return and reign of Christ on earth. It is short and sweet, painting in just a few lines the future rule of Christ. It establishes Jesus as not only a descendant of David, but His Lord and Master. He is the Messiah. This Psalm should be a comfort to all of us who call ourselves Christ-followers. It is a reminder of how the story ends. Even though we see a lot of suffering in the world and even question how this whole mess is going to get worked out in the end, David reminds us that Christ still reigns and rules in heaven, and one day He is going to return and put all things right. Jesus may have come as an innocent baby the first time, but He isn't going to return that way. He will be the conquering king and warrior who defeats all the enemies of God and sets up His righteous rule here on earth. That is not a hope. It is a certainty. It is going to happen. We can count on it. It is all part of God's perfect divine plan. When He returns, Jesus will judge the nations – justly and righteously. He will make all things right. And that future hope should bring us present peace.

Father, thank You for reminding me that Your plan is still in place. You are not done yet. Your Son will return one day. He will set up His rule right here on earth. Justice will be done. Righteousness will be the rule of the day. Help me to keep my mind focused on that reality. Amen



An Uncomfortable, But Honest Prayer.

Psalms 108-109

May his children become fatherless, and may his wife become a widow. May his children wander as beggars; may they be evicted from their ruined homes. May creditors seize his entire estate, and strangers take all he has earned. Let no one be kind to him; let no one pity his fatherless children. May all his offspring die. May his family name be blotted out in a single generation. ­– Psalm 109:9-13 NLT

One word comes to mind when I read a Psalm like this: Uncomfortable. Or maybe even shocking. I read it and am surprised that these words came out of the mouth of David, the man after God's own heart. But there they are in black and white for all to see and read. Psalm 109 is what is known as an imprecatory prayer. It is a prayer for evil or misfortune to come on someone else – usually an enemy. In the Bible, an imprecatory prayer is the prayer of a righteous man who is asking God to carry out justice by bringing punishment or destruction on those who have done evil and have been mistreating or abusing him. A first read of this Psalm can be a little disconcerting. The requests of David are severe and seem to be motivated by an extreme hatred. He is obviously upset and has been suffering greatly at the hands of this enemy. We are not told who this person or persons is, but David wishes nothing but ill-will against them. He makes it painfully clear what he would like God to do to them. He basically wants him dead, leaving his wife a widow and his children to beg. Is David wrong for praying this prayer? Is he letting his anger get the best of him? If so, why does God include this Psalm in the Bible?

While the things David requests may make us a bit uncomfortable, we can probably relate at some level. We have all had someone in our lives who we wished evil upon. We may not have put it in the form of a prayer, but we thought about it, even dreamed about it. We may not have been quite as harsh as David was, but we probably wanted to see some kind of harm come to the one who had harmed us. This is a purely human reaction. We want revenge. We want vengeance to be done. This is not necessarily wrong. Especially if the evil done to us is truly evil and sinful. But David knew something we all need to know: Vengeance is God's business, not ours. That's why David took his issue to God. I think there is a point at which David knew that what this person had done to him was in direct opposition to the will of God. David had shown them love and their response had been nothing but evil. "I love them, but they try to destroy me -- even as I am praying for them! They return evil for good, and hatred for my love" (Psalm 109:4-5 NLT). Their actions were sinful and ungodly, and he knew that God was opposed to everything they had done to him. So he took his case to God and pleaded for justice in the form of vengeance. He was only asking God to do to this individual the same thing he had done to David and probably others. Basically David was asking God to let this man reap what he sowed. Where it gets really uncomfortable for most of us is when David starts asking for bad things to happen to the guys wife and kids. This seems a bit extreme. But this does not mean David had unbridled hatred for the man's family. It only reveals David's understanding of how things worked in their society. These are the natural consequences of life in the culture of David's day. A man and his offspring were inseparably linked. The actions of one directly influenced the other. The sins of this man and their punishment would be felt by his wife, children, and ancestors. That was the way things worked in their society. So David is really praying out the consequences of this man's deserved punishment.

David knew that God hated sin and injustice and so his prayer is not inappropriate or sinful. He is simply expressing a hatred for sin that mirrored that of God. He wants to see God's will be done. Sure, he is not shy in expressing his own opinion as to what that will should be, but at the end of the day, he wants to see God mete out justice and vengeance on this person who was not only David's enemy, but an enemy of God. But what balances this Psalm out is David's request that God express His love and faithfulness to him. "But deal well with me, O Sovereign LORD, for the sake of your own reputation! Rescue me because you are so faithful and good" (Psalm 109:21 NLT). David understands that God wants to bless the righteous and punish the wicked. That is what this prayer is all about. It is a request for God to be God and do what only God can do. Only God can rescue David and turn the evil this person has done to him into blessing. Only God can punish this individual justly and righteously, returning on him the kind of evil he has been dishing out.

Imprecations are effective only when we see sin as God does and when we ask Him to deal with sin as He has promised to deal with it in His Word. David was simply praying back to God what he knew to be true about God and His divine view of sin. David was praying the kind of punishment for sin that God had already expressed as proper and just. And the most important point is that David was praying with a clean and innocent heart. He had done nothing to deserve the treatment he was receiving. He was innocent. That is a critical point in praying an imprecatory prayer. Had David been guilty of mistreatment of this man, his prayers would have been improper and unheeded by God. He stood guiltless before God and was suffering unjustly, so he knew that God would step into that kind of situation. God protects His own. He defends His sheep. David's prayer came out of a firm understanding of who God was and what He stood for more than a hatred for his enemy. His prayer was driven by a desire to see justice done and God intervene. "Help me, O LORD my God! Save me because of your unfailing love. Let them see that this is your doing, that you yourself have done it, LORD" (Psalm 109:26-27 NLT). David wanted to see God's will done and His power manifested to all those around him. God's glory was David's foremost desire.

Father, give me a hatred for evil that is more powerful than my hatred for any particular individual and what they might do to me. May I learn to see any injustice done to me as an injustice done to You. This is more about You than me. May I learn to desire Your glory by seeing Your will be done – in my life and circumstances. Give me a greater understanding of Your hatred of evil and the manner in which You punish it, so that I might pray according to Your will and not mine. Amen



Sound Fatherly Advice.

1 Chronicles 21-22

And may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the law of the LORD your God as you rule over Israel. For if you carefully obey the laws and regulations that the LORD gave to Israel through Moses, you will be successful. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart! ­– 1 Chronicles 22:12-13 NLT

David's days are coming to an end. He is growing old and his reign as the king of Israel is just about over. He has had a roller coaster reign as king filled with wars, domestic disputes, and enough ups and down to leave his head spinning. But as he contemplates the close of his time as king, one thing is on his mind: The construction of the temple he had longed to build for God. Even though God had denied David the right to construct the temple himself, David was still excited about the prospect of his son, Solomon, fulfilling this life-long dream of his. So he began the process of buying the land, collecting the materials, and providing much of what was necessary for the process of construction to begin once he was gone and Solomon had ascended to the throne in his place.

But David knew there was more that Solomon was going to need than construction materials. He knew from first-hand experience that Solomon was going to need to be obedient. Building the temple would be useless and pointless if the one constructing it was disobedient to God. Over the years, David had learned the importance of faithful obedience to God in his role as king. So he passed along what he had learned to his young son, Solomon:

"Now, my son, may the LORD be with you and give you success as you follow his instructions in building the Temple of the LORD your God. And may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the law of the LORD your God as you rule over Israel. For if you carefully obey the laws and regulations that the LORD gave to Israel through Moses, you will be successful. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!" – 1 Chronicles 22:11-13

David told Solomon that success in building the temple would be tied to following God's instructions for it. This was not to be Solomon's temple but God's. He was to listen to God and do exactly what he was told. David prayed that God would give his son wisdom and understanding, and that Solomon would obey God's law all the years of his kingship. David knew that obedience was the key to success as God's man. Then he encourages Solomon to be strong and courageous, and to not let fear or a sense of defeat mark his reign. David reminded Solomon…

"The LORD your God is with you," he declared. "He has given you peace with the surrounding nations. He has handed them over to me, and they are now subject to the LORD and his people. Now seek the LORD your God with all your heart. Build the sanctuary of the LORD God so that you can bring the Ark of the LORD's covenant and the holy vessels of God into the Temple built to honor the LORD's name." – 1 Chronicles 22:18-19 NLT

David was leaving his son a powerful kingdom enjoying a time of unprecedented peace. He was leaving him royal treasuries filled with the plunder from successful military campaigns. He was leaving him a beautiful royal palace and a well-fortified city in which to live. He was leaving him a well-respected name and legacy of leadership that was hard to match. But the best thing David left his son was his encouragement to obey God faithfully. David knew this was the secret to his success. He wanted Solomon to be a man after God's own heart just as he was. And at the end of the day, the best way to recognize a man after God's own heart is through his life of faithful, consistent obedience. Sure, there were days David disobeyed and failed to follow God's plan. But he always returned to God, recognizing his sin, taking responsibility for it, and repenting of it. He wanted Solomon to understand that the temple would be useless and impractical if the God for whom it was being built never occupied it. And the quickest way to make that happen would be through disobedience.

David left Solomon a lot, but the best thing he left him was some sound fatherly advice. "Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart."

Father, may that be the advice I leave my own children. May I learn that there is nothing I can leave behind that is more valuable than my understanding that faithful obedience to You is the key to real success. Amen



Recognition. Repentance. Responsibility.

2 Samuel 24; Psalm 30

David's conscience began to bother him. And he said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly and shouldn't have taken the census. Please forgive me, LORD, for doing this foolish thing." ­– 2 Samuel 24:10 NLT

This is a fascinating passage and one that is full of confusing and seemingly contradictory content. It starts out with God angry at Israel. We're not tol why, but He is upset enough that He takes action against them and He chooses to use David as a tool to accomplish His will. We are told that God "incited Dvaid against them." I don't think this means that David suddenly got angry with Israel and set out to harm them. But David made a decision, in the divine pan of God, that would bring harm to Israel. Over in 1 Chronicles 21, the companion passage to this one, we are told that "Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the Israelites" (1 Chronicles 21:1 NLT). So now it appears as if Satan is involved. But the word for Satan can also simply mean adversary. With that in mind, the New English Translation renders this verse "An adversary opposed Israel, inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had." Whether Satan himself was involved or not, it would seem that David has tempted to take a census in order to find out just how many troops he had so that he could face a possible war with confidence. In essence, he was checking the balance on his checking account before making a significant purchase. So was this wrong? Was David sinning in taking a census? Even Jesus, in one of His parables, tells the story of a king who sat down and took stock of his troops before going to battle. "…what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand?" (Luke 14:31 NASB).

So what is going on? God is angry with Israel. He determines to somehow use David to punish them. And David, in reaction to a possible threat of battle, finds himself tempted to take a census in order to determine just how many battle-ready soldiers he has. But consider this: David's sin was not in taking the census. It was in failing to trust God. It's obvious that David took the census to determine his military strength, and this was not necessarily sin. After all, we have other accounts in Scripture where God directed Moses to take a census of the people (cf. Exod. 30:11-12; Num. 1:1-2). So census taking was not the problem. It seems that David's sin was placing confidence in the number of his soldiers rather than in the Lord. Now keep in mind, this is the same David who wrote the words, "Some nations boast of their armies and weapons, but we boast in the LORD our God" (Psalm 20:7 NLT). For whatever reason, at this point late in his reign, he finds himself doubting God and turning to an earthly source for his protection and confidence. God would use David's decision to punish the people of Israel. David's sin would have consequences on the entire nation.

The result is a plague sent from God that destroys 70,000 of the people. David is horrified and pleads to God. He recognizes his sin and takes responsibility for it. He repents. He even asks God to spare the people and pour out His wrath on him. "I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are innocent -- what have they done? Let your anger fall against me and my family" (2 Samuel 24:17 NLT). God commands David to offer up a sacrifice as a payment for his sin. It required him to buy a piece of land where he could erect an altar to the Lord. When the land owner offers the land free of charge and all the animals to make the sacrifice at no cost, David refuses. "No, I insist on buying it, for I cannot present burnt offerings to the LORD my God that have cost me nothing" (2 Samuel 24:24 NLT). David knew that his sacrifice had to be just that – a sacrifice. It had to cost him something. For his sacrifice to have value, it had to be worth something. A sacrifice that costs nothing is no sacrifice at all.

In his commentary on this passage, Dr. Thomas L. Constable says, "Whenever someone whom God has chosen for special blessing sins he or she becomes the target of God's discipline, and he or she also becomes a channel of judgment to others. Only repentance will turn the situation around. When David agreed to obey God's will revealed through Gad, he began at once to become a source of blessing again." This reveals a lot about David and shows why he was considered a man after God's own heart. While other men would have become angry at God over His punishment of Israel or simply allowed the people to continue to die as long as his own family was safe, David took responsibility for his role in the whole affair. He knew he was responsible for the well-being of the people as their shepherd. He also knew he was responsible for their suffering. He owned up to his role in the situation. He repented and made restitution. He restored his relationship with God and God relented.

What's fascinating is that God would use His punishment of Israel to bring them future blessing. The very land that David bought to erect his altar to God would become the site on which Solomon's temple would be built. Dr. Constable goes on to say, "Solomon's temple became the centerpiece of Israel for hundreds of years. It was the place where God met with His people and they worshipped Him corporately, the center of their spiritual and national life. Therefore the mention of the purchase of Araunah's threshing floor was the first step in the building of the temple, the source of incalculable blessing to come (Genesis 23:3-16).

Isn't that the way God works? He is angry with Israel over some sin they have committed. He uses the pride and self-sufficiency of their king to bring punishment on them. That same man, whom God had chosen to begin with, recognizes his sin and repents. He obediently listens to God and buys a tract of land in order to sacrifice to God, and God uses that very same land to have His temple constructed. Just coincidence? I don't think so. God had a plan all along and He was working it to perfection. He can even use our sins and disobedience to accomplish His divine will. He can bring blessing out of our rebellion.

Father, You are always working Your will. Nothing I do can get in the way. My sins don't diminish it, distract from it, or derail it. You even bring blessing out of our rebellion. You can turn our sin into opportunities to shower us with Your grace and mercy. The key is repentance. Keep me repentant Father. Don't let me become hard of heart and stubborn in my response to sin. May I quickly recognize it, take ownership for it, then repent of it. Amen



He Is Holy.

Psalms 98-99

Exalt the LORD our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy! ­– Psalm 99:5 NLT

Let's be honest. Most of us seem to need a good reason to worship God. And it usually has more to do with us than with Him. We'll worship Him if He has been good to us. We'll worship Him if He has met our expectations and fulfilled all our desires. We'll worship Him if our life is going the way we expected it to go. But let one thing go wrong and all bets are off. We find it hard to worship God in the midst of difficulties. It's difficult to sing His praises when we're busy singing the blues. But the Psalmist reminds us that our praise of God has little or nothing to do with what He has done for us lately. It has everything to do with who He is. He is God and He is holy. So we should exalt or lift up and extol His name, simply because of who He is. Our praise should be motivated by His character and essence, not His ability to meet our laundry list of needs or wants. The Psalmist reminds us, "The LORD is king! Let the nations tremble! He sits on his throne between the cherubim. Let the whole earth quake!" (Psalms 99:1 NLT). Listen to how The Message paraphrases that verse: "God rules. On your toes, everybody! He rules from his angel throne - take notice!" He is KING! He is mighty, majestic, powerful, and deserving of our honor, respect, fear, awe, obedience, gratefulness, and worship. Worship is really just a recognition of who God is. It is an awareness that He is God and I am not. When I come to God for only what I can get from God, that is the farthest thing from worship. In doing so I turn Him into a glorified slot machine. I pull the handle hoping to hit the jackpot. I want Him to deliver on my desires for happiness, success, popularity, peace, comfort, and contentment.

But again, the Psalmist remind you and me, "Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain in Jerusalem, for the LORD our God is holy!" (Psalm 99:9 NLT). We are to worship Him simply because He is holy. He is set apart, distinct, different, sacred, one-of-a-kind, unique, and without equal in all the world. And if that doesn't get us to worship Him, then the Psalmist reminds us that one day God is going to judge the earth. He is going to send His Son back to set things right and restore the earth to its original splendor. He will judge the nations. He will judge all mankind. He will put an end to sin and establish His kingdom on earth. That's the God who deserves our worship, praise, honor, glory, and full attention.

"Shout your praises to God, everybody! Let loose and sing! Strike up the band! Round up an orchestra to play for God, Add on a hundred-voice choir. Feature trumpets and big trombones, Fill the air with praises to King God. Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause, With everything living on earth joining in. Let ocean breakers call out, "Encore!" And mountains harmonize the finale - A tribute to God when he comes, When he comes to set the earth right. He'll straighten out the whole world, He'll put the world right, and everyone in it." (Psalm 98:4-9 MSG).

Father, You deserve my praise and worship, not because You do things for me, but simply because of who You are. Forgive me for the many times I hold back on my praise because I am waiting for You to meet my needs on my terms. I fail to recognize Your holiness and so I fail to give You the honor You so rightfully deserve. Open my eyes to the reality of Your uniqueness. Let me see You in all Your splendor and holiness, and shout Your praises simply because of who You are. Anything You do for me is like icing on the cake – an extra bonus from the hand of the Almighty God. Amen



The Worthiness of Worship.

Psalms 95; 97

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the sheep under his care. Oh, that you would listen to his voice today! ­– Psalm 95:6-7 NLT

So how's your worship today? What's your view of God like even as you read this? For many of us, worship has become a ritual we practice on Sundays. It is an activity we participate in one day a week, but even then it may not be what the Bible refers to as worship. We may sing songs, pray together, listen to a a message from God's Word, and even tithe, but all the while never really worship God. Because worship is more about an attitude than an action. Singing, praising, giving, and listening to God's Word being taught are anything but worshipful, if we do them with a wrong attitude or a heart that is far from God. If we fail to give Him the attention and reverence He deserves, He will fail to see our efforts as worshipful.

The authors of today's two Psalms understood the concept of worship. It is all about recognizing God's worth – His worthiness to receive our praise, attention, dependence, and expressions of love and thanksgiving. For the writer of Psalm 95, worship is a reaction to the greatness of God. He says, "Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us give a joyous shout to the rock of our salvation! Let us come before him with thanksgiving. Let us sing him psalms of praise. For the LORD is a great God, the great King above all gods" (Psalm 95:1-3 NLT). He is a great God. He is a great King. He is unique and the only true God. This is a recognition of what is often called God's transcendence – His otherness. He is nothing like us. He is so far beyond us, it is even hard for us to comprehend. That is why the Psalmist tended to see God in nature, in the thunder and lightning, the mountains, storms, and majestic splendor of the earth. They were reminders of the majesty and power of God. The greatness of nature reminded him of the greatness of God – the one who created it all.

The Psalmist invites us to bow down, kneel down, and worship before God. He reminds us that we have been created by the same God who created all we see. But not only is He our maker, He has chosen to be our shepherd. He has made us His people. We belong to Him. Like the Israelites of the Old Testament, we as believers have been chosen by God and made His special people. We have His favor. We have His protection. We have His promise of eternal life. So why wouldn't we come before Him with thanksgiving, joy, praise, and a certain degree of respect and awe – each and every day of our lives?

Worship is a full-time job. It is something we need to practice every day. In fact, it has been said, that anything we do that brings pleasure to God is an act of worship. When we live our daily lives in submission to His will, we are worshiping Him. When we stop and thank Him for a meal, we are worshiping Him. When we recognize His creative handiwork in a sunrise or sunset, we are worshiping Him. When we gladly serve those He has placed in our lives, we are worshiping Him. Again, worship is more about attitude than anything else. "May all who are godly be happy in the LORD and praise his holy name!" (Psalms 97:12 NLT). Do we find joy in the Lord? Does He satisfy us? Even when we have little, are we able to recognize that we have a lot in the Lord? That is worship. But probably the greatest form of worship is obedience – doing what God has told us to do in His Word. Do we obey Him? Do we listen to what He has told us to do and do it? To come and sing praises on Sunday, then go our merry way and do our own will the rest of the week is not worship. True worship is about submission and obedience. It is acknowledging God's greatness and willingly listening to His what He as our creator asks us to do. We show His worthiness by obeying Him. "Oh, that you would listen to His voice today?" (Psalm 95:7 NLT).

Father, may I learn to worship You more. May I learn to recognize Your greatness in the world around me. Open my eyes so that I might see You more clearly and more often. And give me the strength and determination to obey You. An obedient heart is a worshipful heart. Amen



Faith In God's Faithfulness.

Psalm 57

I will thank you, Lord, in front of all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. ­– Psalm 57:9 NLT

This Psalm tells us exactly where David was when he wrote it: In a cave in the middle of the wilderness hiding from King Saul, who is out to kill him. David is living the life of a fugitive, running and hiding from Saul and his force of 3,000 armed assassins whose soul reason for being is to bring back the head of David. Yet here is David hiding in a remote cave writing a song about the faithfulness of God! And that's really what makes this Psalm so significant. David didn't write it AFTER he got rescued from God and was sitting in the luxury of his palace in Jerusalem. He wrote it in the midst of the trials of his life, long before God had delivered him from the attacks of Saul.

What jumps out at me in this Psalm is David's faith in God's faithfulness. Throughout the Psalm he speaks in future terms. He says, "I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples" (Psalm 57:9 NIV). What he seems to be saying is that his confidence in God's faithfulness is so great that he knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the day is coming when he will be able to praise God surrounded by people in the city of Jerusalem. David's current circumstances were less than ideal, but his future was bright – because he trusted in God. "He will send help from heaven to save me" (Psalm 57:3 NLT). "My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness" (Psalm 57:3 NLT). David had so much faith in God's faithfulness, that he was able to say, from the hidden recesses of his cave, "My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises!" (Psalm 57:7 NLT). "For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds" (Psalm 57:10 NLT).

David was confident even in the midst of conflict. He trusted God completely. He knew that God's love and faithfulness were immeasurable and unstoppable. Present circumstances were no match against future deliverance at the hand of God. So David was able to sing the praises of God even in the darkest moments of his life. "Wake up, my soul! Wake up, O harp and lyre! I will waken the dawn with my song" (Psalm 57:8 NLT). He would start each day with songs of praise, based solely on his faith in God's faithfulness and his firm belief in God's future deliverance.

Father, I want to have the kind of faith David had. I want to sing in the middle of the trials of life, rather than stand around waiting to see something happen first. I want to have so much confidence in Your love and faithfulness that I sing Your praises before I have even seen You do anything worthy of praise. Your character speaks for itself. You don't have to prove Yourself to me. Your faithfulness has stood the test of time and Your love for me has never failed. Your promises for me are sure. You are faithful, so my faith should be firm – no matter what happens around me or to me. Amen



God: My Everything.

2 Samuel 22-23

The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold, my high tower, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. ­– 2 Samuel 22:2-3 NLT

What does God mean to you? If you had to come up with a list of adjectives or nouns to describe your relationship with Him, what words would you use? How would you tell others about His involvement in your life? For many of us, what we know about God we have been told by others. We have been taught about His attributes in Sunday School or in Bible studies we have attended. But our first-hand experience with God is probably somewhat limited. We could probably say God is all-powerful, but could we give examples from our own lives to prove it? We could confidently state that God is omnipresent – or is everywhere all the time. But how come we feel like He is nowhere to be found at times? We could tell others about God's faithfulness and love, but could we tell them specific ways in which He has shown us either one in the last week?

You see, God is a personal God and He wants to show Himself real in our personal lives. He doesn't want our knowledge of Him to be limited to what we read in the Bible or what we hear from a sermon. God wants to involve Himself in our lives and does so every day. But sometimes we fail to recognize His activity in our lives. But David didn't. And in 2 Samuel 22 we are given an up-close and personal glimpse of what David thought about God. His descriptions of God are far from academic. He didn't get them out of a book. He isn't just reciting doctrine. He is describing exactly what he has learned about God over the years as he has watched God work in his life.

…my rock

…my fortress

…my shield

…the strength of my salvation

…my stronghold

…my high tower

…my rescuer

…my deliverer

…my light

…my strong fortress

…my solid rock

…my helper

…the rock of my salvation

How did David learn these things? Through the experiences of life. It was through some of the most difficult times of life that he learned the most valuable lessons about who God really is. David had experienced the truth and reality of every one of these characteristics of God by going through the difficulties of life. He had read about them in God's Word, but it wasn't until he experienced them first-hand that they became real for him. God wants to show Himself strong in my life and in your life. He wants to prove to you and me His faithfulness, strength, and unfailing love. And He sometimes chooses the trials of life to reveal Himself. But we so often want to escape the trials of life. We want to avoid them. We don't want the Red Sea experiences. We don't want to face enemies that appear to be unbeatable or battles that seem unwinable. But those are the times that God's strength are the most apparent. It is in our weakness that we get to see His strength. God wants our testimony about Him to be real. He wants what we have to say about Him to be from experience. He wants us to be able to say like David, "For this, O LORD, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing joyfully to your name" (2 Samuel 22:50 NLT).

Father, I want my description of You to be from my personal experience, not just what I read about in the Bible. I want to be able to describe You in ways that are real and reflect what I have seen You do in my life. Sometimes it's just a matter of recognizing that You are already doing incredible things in my life, but I have failed to see them. Other times, I rob You of glory by trying to win all my own battles and solve all my own problems. I fail to experience Your power, because I am relying on my own. Like David, I want to be able to describe You in such a way that everyone knows You are my everything. Amen



God: The Spiritual Thirst-Quencher.

Psalms 41-42

As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and stand before him? ­– Psalms 42:1-2 NLT

We are spiritual beings, and as such, each of us has a soul that sometimes suffers from spiritual thirst. The heat of life can leave our souls dry and parched – in need of spiritual refreshment. Even those who have no relationship with Christ and don't believe in God suffer from spiritual thirst. And when it happens they, like those of us who are Christ-followers, seek out a way to satisfy their thirst. But there do they turn? If the thirst is minimal they will probably turn to the things that tend to satisfy their tastes, not their thirst. It's a lot like when you or I find ourselves a bit thirsty in the middle of the day. I'm talking about average thirst here, not your heat-of-the-summer-working-in-the-yard kind of thirst. When we are slightly thirsty, we probably think of grabbing a cold glass of our favorite soda or iced tea. In other words, we attempt to settle our thirst by satisfying our desires. But most of our choices don't end up taking care of our real problem. They taste good for the moment, but they make lousy thirst-quenchers. But if we find ourselves really thirsty, like we can get after a hard workout or a day of yard work in ninety degree weather, we usually crave one thing and one thing only – a glass of cold water. Our bodies are wired that way. We seem to know that nothing else will satisfy. No other drink or beverage appeals to us like water does in those moments. We crave it. We have to have it. Like a man in the desert dying of thirst, we dream of satisfying our need with cold, refreshing, life-giving water.

There is a similar reaction wired into every human being when they face real spiritual thirst. We are all programmed to seek the one thing that will satisfy that need – God. But because of sin, we are prone to seek replacements. Our sin nature tempts us to find something else to meet our need. So we turn to sex, success, alcohol, popularity, or a thousand other God-replacements. Our desires tell us that these things will satisfy our thirst. But like an iced-cold Coke on a hot summer day, they only mask our real need. They temporarily seem to satisfy our thirst, but leave us craving more. And despite what Coke may tell us – when it comes to spiritual thirst – it is NOT the real thing. David seemed to know that there was one place and one place only for satisfying real spiritual thirst, and that was God. He described his soul as longing for God, like a deer that pants for a cool, clear stream of water. During the difficult days of life, when things seem to be going against him, David longed for God. He knew nothing else would satisfy what was really going on in his life. More power, more money, more sexual satisfaction, more of anything would prove to be a faulty substitute for God. Which is why he said, "Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again -- my Savior and my God!" (Psalms 42:11 NLT). When his soul became thirsty, he was going to seek out God as his thirst-quencher. But where do we turn when spiritual thirst hits us? What do we long for? Like David, we need to learn that nothing satisfies like God.

Father, spiritual thirst hits me on a regular basis. But at times I still tend to seek out things that satisfy my sinful desires rather than You. I allow the enemy to tempt me into believing that other things can satisfy the thirst of my soul, when only You can. Thank You for using the difficulties of life to remind me that there is only place to satisfy the thirst in my soul, and that is in You. Amen



Confession Isn't Just Good For The Soul.

Psalms 5; 38

But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done. ­– Psalms 38:18 NLT

In Psalm 38 David talks openly about the effects of his own sin. He describes the suffering, the sorrow, and the pain he is undergoing. And he acknowledges that what he is experiencing is the result of his sin and the rebuke of God. "Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins. My guilt overwhelms me -- it is a burden too heavy to bear" (Psalms 38:3-4 NLT). David doesn't tell us what he has done, but he fully believes that his sin and God's anger over it are the cause for his distress. Now while this Psalm does NOT teach that all suffering is the result of our sins, it does make clear that sin has consequences, sometimes very harsh consequences. David's suffering is real. "I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart" (Psalms 38:8 NLT). "I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain" (Psalms 38:17 NLT). He is racked with pain and guilt. He longs for release and relief. So what does he do? He confesses his sin before God. He admits what he has done before the one against whom he has sinned. He simply agrees with God that his guilt is justified because his sin is real. David knows that confession is the key to restoration – both physically and spiritually. But his confession is more than just an admission of guilt. It is accompanied by sorrow for having sinned against God. "But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done" (Psalms 38:18 NLT). The actual word used there can be translated "concerned, worried, or anxious." David wasn't just sorry, he was literally bothered by what he had done. His own sin had made him uncomfortable. It had internal as well as external consequences.

So often, it seems that our sins fail to bother us. We can appear unconcerned about what we have done to offend a holy God, and suffer anxiety over the results of our sin, but not over the sin itself. But David was bothered by his sin. It disturbed him. It is only when our sin begins to worry and concern us that we truly confess it to God. Confession is not a magic elixir we drink or incantation we speak that mysteriously reverses the negative conditions we face. It is an honest acknowledgment of our own guilt and culpability. It is a point we reach when our sin bothers us as much as it does God. Our own sin concerns us and we become repulsed by it enough to confess it before God. The word "confess" simply means to make known, declare, or acknowledge. It's to verbally declare before God what you have done to offend Him. It is to put into words what you have done and take ownership of it. David knew that confession was the key to his restoration and he was willing to wait on God to receive it. "For I am waiting for you, O LORD. You must answer for me, O Lord my God" (Psalms 38:15 NLT). But why is it so hard for us to confess? What is it about our sin that makes it difficult for us to simply admit it? Could it be that our sin doesn't really concern or bother us? Have we learned to rationalize our behavior and minimize our own sin? Confession is good for the soul, but according to David, it was good for a lot more than that. Many of us suffer because we refuse to confess. And we refuse to confess because we aren't really bothered by our sin.

Father, don't let me focus on the consequences of my sin, but on the sin itself. Let it bother me. May I truly be sorry for my sin because I realize the damage that it brings into my life and the lives of others. Forgive me for the many times I want to minimize it and rationalize it away. May I learn like David to feel sorrow over it and turn that sorrow into an open confession before You. You want to restore. You desire to bring healing and forgiveness. But it has to begin with confession. Amen



When Righteousness and Justice Reign.

2 Samuel 21

During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. ­– 2 Samuel 21:1a NLT

As we have seen, David was far from perfect. He made a lot of mistakes as a father and as a king. But the one thing that set David apart from Saul and the vast majority of the kings who would follow him, was his devotion to God. He truly was a man after God's own heart. He cared for and was passionate about the things of God. He desired to do God's will and obey His commands. When he failed to do so, he willingly accepted God's rebuke and patiently sought His forgiveness. We see time and time again where David sought the face of the Lord. He wanted to rule according to the will of God. He wanted God to be the one to guide and direct His steps. And chapter 21 shows once again how David was able to rule righteously and justly. He sought God's face. He turned to God for wisdom.

David found himself ruling during three years of extreme famine. The land was suffering and so were the people. So David sought God to find out the cause of this event, and God gives him the reason. It was because Saul had been unfaithful to Israel's covenant with the Gibeonites. Saul had evidently refused to acknowledge Israel's treaty with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9) and put some of them to death. As a result, God punished Israel with a famine (lack of fertility). When God informed David about the cause of the famine, he determined to right the wrong, according to the Mosaic Law. He made sure that justice was done. He asked the Gideonites what it was going to take to bring them satisfaction (propitiate) and remove (expiate) the famine from the land. But at the same time, David acted justly by keeping his promise to Mephibosheth, he son of Saul. He protected Mephibosheth and did not turn him over to the Gibeonites. David also removed the bodies of the seven men who were executed and gave them proper burials, along with Saul and Jonathan. In this whole affair, David acted righteously and justly. And because of David's actions, God restored fertility to the land again.

David's actions illustrated that he was a covenant-keeping, righteous-ruling king just like God. He did what was right, even if it meant correcting a wrong that someone else had committed. He willingly cleaned up the mess that Saul had made and restored God's blessing on Israel in the process. This chapter gives us a glimpse of what it looks like to rule righteously and justly. And this can apply to a father in his home, a business owner at their office, a pastor over his flock, or a politician over his constituents. And it begins with seeking God's face. David was able to do what was right and just because he had a right relationship with God. He knew the heart of God. He also knew the law of God. He was not at a loss as to what was going to be required to right his wrong. So he was able to respond quickly, appropriately, and justly.

Father, may we learn to rule and reign like David, regardless of the size or scope of our "kingdom." May I learn to administer justice in my home in a godly way. May I learn to respond to the spiritual famines in my life by seeking Your face and doing Your will in order to see justice done. Give me a heart like David had. Amen



The Loving Rebuke of a Friend.

2 Samuel 19-20

Now go out there and congratulate the troops, for I swear by the LORD that if you don't, not a single one of them will remain here tonight. Then you will be worse off than you have ever been. ­– 2 Samuel 19:7 NLT

These two chapters read like a television soap opera. There are so many plots and sub-plots it's difficult to follow what is even going on. There are stories of deception, jealousy, murder and betrayal. David is returning to Jerusalem after the death of his rebellious son, Absalom. But rather than rejoicing with his successful troops, David is in mourning. He is weeping over the loss of Absalom. And his response is having a negative impact on his troops. Instead of seeing their king celebrate their victory and his triumphal return to power, they are watching him mope about as if he had lost everything. Once again, David's leadership skills and decision-making abilities come into question. And the only one who is willing to confront him about it is his good friend Joab.

Joab gets fed up with David's behavior and boldly challenges him. He is willing to risk all in order to issue a wake-up call to David. His words are difficult, but are filled with love and truth. He is concerned for David and his kingdom. He knows that if David continues down the path he is going, he will lose the loyalty of his army and things will be worse off than when Absalom took over his throne. Sometimes the hardest people to confront are the ones who are in authority. We act as if we don't have the right to tell them the truth and we fear possible reprisals. But Joab was willing to lose everything. He knew that this was a critical time in David's reign. Things were unstable. David was not acting rationally. So Joab intervened and said what needed to be said – out of love. There comes a time in each of our lives when we have to be the bearer of truth to one we love. Joab loved David enough to tell him the truth. Just as Nathan loved David enough to confront him about his sin with Bathsheba.

Joab's words were a wake-up call for David. They shook him out of his lethargy and caused him to take appropriate action. The people of Israel needed a bold, decisive leader at this juncture of their history. Things were volatile. The nation was a powder keg of emotion and the last thing they needed was an emotion-driven king who could not lead effectively. So Joab's words were timely. His rebuke was lovingly appropriate. He said what needed to be said and risked everything to do it. Would we be willing to do the same thing for a friend?

Father, most of us fear confrontation. We run from it. And yet there are times when we need to step up and speak up. We need to be Joab to the Davids in our lives. We need to boldly confront out of love. Help us to recognize those occasions and to obediently listen to Your Spirit's leading. May we listen to Your promptings and take the risk to say what needs to be said. Amen



My Salvation Comes From Him.

Psalms 61-62; 64

I wait quietly before God, for my salvation comes from him. ­– Psalms 62:1 NLT

Where does your salvation come from? Or better yet, where do you think it comes from? For the answer to those two questions, consider where you turn when things get tough. When you run into difficulty where do you tend to run for help? Your checking account? Your own intelligence? Your problem-solving skills? Is the remedy you seek earthly or heavenly? If we're honest, most of us would have to admit that we have a lot of sources of salvation in our lives. Or at least we think we do. Even though most of them fail to deliver what they promise or what we expect, we keep going back to them – hoping that they can protect us and provide for us what we need.

But David said he was going to wait quietly before God, because he knew that his salvation was going to come from Him and nothing else. Look at how many times he made this point in Psalms 62 alone:

"I wait quietly before God, for my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken." – Psalms 62:1-2 NLT

"I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me." – Psalms 62:5-7 NLT

David's hope was in God. Not in money, success, popularity, prosperity, fame, or fortune. David was a man of action. He was a military leader and a warrior. He was not afraid to go into battle or make a decision, but he was learning to wait on God. Impulsiveness can be a costly temptation for the believer. In our desire to get out from under pressure or escape trials, we can be tempted to take matters into our own hands. The enemy doesn't want us to wait, he wants us to act – impulsively and independently. He wants us to be our own gods, our own saviors. But a big part of worship is submission and dependence. God gets glory when we rely on Him. He is honored when we look to Him for shelter and protection. Trials and troubles are often nothing more than opportunities to trust in God and honor Him with our admissions of need for protection and salvation.

But as David was learning, a big part of trusting God is sometimes learning to WAIT on God. No demands. No dictating what you want done and when. A big part of trusting God is relying on Him to make the best decision and provide the best timing. He will do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. The more we lean to trust Him, the more we will find ourselves rejoicing in Him, because God is always faithful. "The godly will rejoice in the LORD and find shelter in him. And those who do what is right will praise him" (Psalms 64:10 NLT).

Father, I am not the most patient person in the world. I am impulsive, reactionary, and prone to take matters into my own hands. Difficulty tends to make me respond impulsively. I want the problem to go away. I want to get out from under whatever is hanging over my head. But You want me to learn to trust You, to turn to You, and to wait on You. May I learn to see trials as opportunities to see You work. May I see difficulties as reminders of my need for and dependence upon You. I am weak, but You are strong. I am needy and You are abundant. May I learn to wait on You, because You alone are my true salvation. Amen



He's Thinking About Me!

Psalms 26; 40; 58

As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord is thinking about me right now. You are my helper and my savior. Do not delay, O my God. ­– Psalms 40:17 NLT

The Lord is thinking about me right now. What a thought. What an encouragement. But do I really believe it? Do I live as though it is really true? I am convinced that David believed it to be true in his life. That is why he kept turning to God in the midst of all his problems. He knew that God was watching over him, even thinking about him. David's God was sovereign, in complete control and fully aware of all that was going on his life, every second of every day. God was thinking about him constantly. And David talked about God constantly. "I have not kept this good news hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness" (Psalms 40:10 NLT). David talked about God to others. He bragged about God. He boasted in God. He wanted everyone to know about God's unfailing love and faithfulness.

But sometimes I can spend more time complaining about God than bragging about Him. Sure, I do it subtly. I don't complain DIRECTLY about God. That's too dangerous. I just complain about my circumstances. I complain about the situations I find myself in. But if God is in complete control, then I am really complaining about Him. I am saying that He doesn't know what He is doing, that He is not faithful and loving. That somehow He has made a mistake and allowed things into my life that I do not deserve and that will not end up doing me any good. But David said, "I have told all your people about your justice" (Psalms 40:9 NLT). David had learned to accept the good with the bad. He knew that he could trust God and therefore every circumstance in life was there for a reason. God was going to use it to bless David and bring glory to Himself. Even in the midst of negative circumstances David was bragging about God's faithfulness and love. These three Psalms reveal that things were not necessarily going well for David when he wrote them. He still had problems. He still had enemies. Life was not easy. But he still managed to brag on God as he cried out to God. He still kept telling others of God's trustworthiness even when things weren't going quite the way he wanted them to go. Do I do that? Do I brag on my God even when things aren't quite to my liking? The honest answer is NO. But I want to learn to do just that. He is thinking about me. He loves and cares about me. I must convince myself of that truth. He has done so much to prove it to be true. But I must learn to dwell on the reality of His unconditional love and acceptance of me. Then make it a habit to brag about Him. To tell others about Him, even in the midst of the tough times. Because He really is there, just as much as when things are going well. He is thinking about me!

Father, what an amazing truth. You are thinking about me – every single day of my life. You are never NOT thinking about me. You are never NOT aware of what is going on in my life. And You always love me. You have my best in mind all the time. Thank You for that reminder. Help me to live as if I believe it. Help me learn to brag on You every moment of every day. Because You deserve it. Amen



A Hollow Victory.

2 Samuel 18

O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I could have died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son. ­– 2 Samuel 18:33 NLT

This chapter should strike a chord with any parent. Here we have David having to deal with a rebellious son who has turned on him and is now out to take over his throne and eliminate him altogether. What would it be like to go through that as a parent? Some of us might have had children who were rebellious or who have been out of control, but I doubt any of us have had sons who have tried to kill us. Can you imagine the mixed emotions David was feeling? On the one hand, this is a man who killed one of David's sons in cold blood. He is also the man who attempted to turn the citizens of Jerusalem against David and then successfully took over his kingdom. He also raped all of David's concubines he had left behind in the city when David had to flee. This son had made David's life a living hell. He had caused untold pain and discomfort for David. And David knew the only thing that was going to resolve this conflict was a battle. Lives were going to be lost, possibly his own or the life of Absalom.

Then the inevitable happens. The troops of Absalom do battle with the troops of David and Absalom is killed by Joab, David's friend and military commander. Can you imagine how David felt when he heard this news? It was a victory, but a hollow one. He had won, but at the expense of his own son's life. While his troops were probably rejoicing, David reacted with mourning. He missed his son. He wished he had died instead. This was the natural reaction of a loving parent. David regretted that his sins had led to Absalom's death. God had warned him that, as a result of his sin with Bathsheba, family conflict would a permanent part of his future. "From this time on, your family will live by the sword" (2 Samuel 12:10 NLT). "Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you" (2 Samuel 12:11 NLT). David knew that he was ultimately responsible for Absalom's death. He had failed to deal with Amnon's rape of Tamar, forcing Absalom to take matters into his own hands and murder Amnon to avenge his sister. David also failed to deal with Absalom's actions, allowing him to run away instead. Every step of the way, David failed to do his job as a father and the king. Now he was reaping the sad results.

David's conflict was over. But at a steep price. He had won the battle and lost a son. So he did what any parent would do. He mourned. Perhaps this is the same way God feels every time one of the sons or daughters He has created rebels against Him and refused to accept His free gift of grace. Absalom's rebellion against David could not go unpunished. Man's rebellion against God cannot go unpunished either. But God sent His own son to pay the price for our rebellion. Jesus died on a cross as a payment for our sin and rebellion. But unless we accept that free gift, we remain guilty and unforgiven. We stand to be punished for our sin and that punishment is death – resulting in permanent separation from God. David would never see Absalom again. And while there is a certain joy in victory over a rebellious enemy, David would have preferred restoration and redemption. So would God.

Father, You don't rejoice over having to punish men for their sins. You see them as sons. You long to see their rebellion repented of and their hearts returned to You. You have even provided a way for them to return and receive forgiveness for their sin and rebellion. Yet so many continue to reject You and Your generous offer. Thank You for Your love that continues to reach out to those who have turned against You and long to remove You from the throne of their lives and put themselves there instead. Amen



When We Last Left David…

2 Samuel 16-17

Then Absalom and all the leaders of Israel said, "Hushai's advice is better than Ahithophel's." For the LORD had arranged to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster upon Absalom! ­– 2 Samuel 17:14 NLT

When we last left David, he was on his way out of Jerusalem with his tail between his legs. He was a defeated man. His son had taken over his kingdom and he had fled. But as the Psalms we read reflect, David was still trusting in God. Even when confronted by an angry relative of Saul as he left Jerusalem, David didn't lash out – despite the fact that this guy was hurling abuse and stones in David's direction. "David said to Abishai and the other officers, 'My own son is trying to kill me. Shouldn'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.'" (2 Samuel 16:11-12 NLT). David had full confidence that God was intimately involved in every detail of what was going on. God had told him this would happen because of his affair with Bathsheba. So David was content to take his problem to God and watch to see what He would do.

As we read these two chapters, it is important to look for the hand of God. He is working behind the scenes – ensuring that His will is done. He uses the presence of Hushai, David's confidant, to foil the advice of Ahithophel. He protected the lives of the two spies who were bringing news to David. He convinced Absalom and his men to accept Hushai's plan even though Ahithophel's was better. This was all the work of God. "For the LORD had arranged to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster upon Absalom!" (2 Samuel 17:14 NLT). Absalom had a huge army, he had the city of Jerusalem, and he had the throne of his father David. But what he didn't have was God. He was on his own. As long as David had God on his side, this was going to be a lopsided affair. It was Paul who said, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31 NIV). Do we believe that? If we have God on our side, do we believe that there is nothing or no one too great for us to endure? David did. This didn't mean he didn't have fears and doubts. Just read his Psalms. But he took them to God. He shared his feelings with the only one who could do anything about it – God. He was going to trust God with his life and his circumstances. Will we?

Father, I can get so focused on the circumstances of life, that I lose sight of You. I start to doubt Your presence and power. I start to try to solve my own problems. But David kept calling out to You. He gave You his fears. He turned to You when he was scared. He wanted to see You work in his life. May I develop that habit of searching for and seeing You in the daily affairs of my life. You are ALWAYS at work behind the scenes, even though I may not see it at first. Help me to trust You more. Amen



Roll Your Burdens On God.

Psalms 28; 55

Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. ­– Psalms 55:22 NLT

These two Psalms were written by David, most likely when he was living in exile outside Jerusalem after his son, Absalom, had taken over the city and his throne. David finds himself living the life of a renegade again. He is on the outside, looking in, as his son rules in his place. He is the anointed king of Israel, appointed by God Himself, yet he is in hiding instead of reigning. David's days of despair and disappointment are far from over. These two Psalms graphically portray the sorrow he is experiencing. He even describes the pain of having been portrayed by a close friend. This is likely a reference to Ahithophel, his personal adviser, who was now working for Absalom. He best friend had turned on him along with his own son. So David knew what it was to suffer heartache and disappointment. He knew what it meant to live with fear and a sense of pending doom. He knew what it meant to have an uncertain future. And he also knew he could have two basic responses in times like these. One was to long for release by flight. "Oh, how I wish I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest! I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness" (Psalms 55:6-7 NLT). He had thoughts of running away or simply escaping from all his troubles. This was more a wish than a plan. It was unrealistic, but it's what goes through our minds when faced with trouble and trials. David just longed to be somewhere else. But each morning when he woke up, he found himself in the same place faced with the same difficulties.

That's why David had another plan: To trust God. "I will call on God, and the LORD will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night I plead aloud in my distress, and the LORD hears my voice. He rescues me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, even though many still oppose me. God, who is king forever, will hear me" (Psalms 55:17-19 NLT). He couldn't escape his difficulty, so he decided to take his difficulties to God. And he was relentless in his pursuit of God – morning, noon, and night he plead. He couldn't run away, but he could run to God, and he did. Because he knew God was his only hope. And he knew God was a reliable, faithful source of hope. "The LORD is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving" (Psalms 28:7 NLT). David knew that the result of trusting God was joy. God would not let him down. Times might be tough, but relief and release were on their way. God would answer. And David would rejoice.

Father, I can relate to David. When times get tough, I tend to catch myself wishing I could just get away. I want to run away and hide. Instead I need to learn to run to You. I need to pursue you doggedly and relentlessly until You answer. I need to turn to You and wait on You, because You are the only source for hope I have. Help me learn to use the times of difficulty in my life to drive me close to You, so that I might learn to trust You more. Amen



I Trust, Because…

Psalms 3-4; 12-13

But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the LORD because he has been so good to me. ­– Psalms 13:5-6 NLT

David has had to sneak out of Jerusalem, because his son, Absalom, has turned the people against him and successfully pulled off a bloodless coup. This is the son who killed his own half-brother for raping his sister, Tamar. This is the son that should have been arrested, brought to justice, and given the death sentence. But instead, he was allowed to escape and live in exile for two years. This is the son who finally was allowed to return to the kingdom, but who David refused to see for another two years. This is the son that finally demanded an audience with the king, his own father, and when he finally got it, David acted as if nothing had ever happened. This is the son who turned his anger, bitterness and resentment against his father into action and took over his kingdom.

And rather than fight, David has decided to flee the kingdom. He was in mourning. He was a defeated man. His own son had turned against him. And in the midst of all this sorrow and despair, David did what any God-fearing man should do, he called out to God.

"Arise, O LORD! Rescue me, my God!" (Psalms 3:7 NLT)

"Answer me when I call, O God who declares me innocent. Take away my distress. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer" (Psalms 4:1 NLT)

"Help, O LORD, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth!" (Psalms 12:1 NLT)

"O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?" (Psalms 13:1 NLT)

"Turn and answer me, O LORD my God! Restore the light to my eyes, or I will die" (Psalms 13:3 NLT)

David turned to God. He called out to God. He expressed his deepest feelings to God. Why? Because he knew God would hear him and answer him. He trusted in God's unfailing love. Yes, David had screwed up in a lot of ways. He had made some major mistakes. But God still loved him. God still counted David as one of His righteous ones. He was David's chosen and God was going to be faithful to keep His commitments to David. The key is that David kept turning to God. When he screwed up, he kept looking up. He knew the answer to his problem was going to come from one source and one source only. So David prayed honestly, yet confidently.

…you, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts my head high (Psalms 3:3 NLT)

I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy mountain (Psalms 3:4 NLT)

I lay down and slept. I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me (Psalms 3:5 NLT)

Victory comes from you, O LORD. May your blessings rest on your people (Psalms 3:8 NLT)

You can be sure of this: The LORD has set apart the godly for himself. The LORD will answer when I call to him (Psalms 4:3 NLT)

I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe (Psalms 4:8 NLT)

The LORD's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. Therefore, LORD, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation, even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land (Psalms 12:6-8 NLT)

But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the LORD because he has been so good to me (Psalms 13:5-6 NLT)

David trusted God, because… because he knew Him to be trustworthy. He knew God was loving and faithful. He knew God cared for His own and would not leave them defenseless. He knew God hated the wicked and could see into the hearts of men. David loved God and wanted to do what was right. He had made mistakes, but His God was a forgiving God, a God who forgave and restored His own. So David prayed. And he waited…with confidence. He had been here before. He had played the part of the exiled king before. And God had come through. So David was confident God would do so again.

Father, I want to trust You like David did. In the midst of my worst moments, I want to be able to turn to You and honestly share my heart, but also to share my confidence that You will deliver – even before You have! May my faith continue to grow in You. May my confidence increase daily as I recognize Your faithful activity in my life. I will rejoice because You have rescued me! Amen



A Really Rebellious Child.

2 Samuel 14-15

Absalom stole the hearts of all the people of Israel. ­– 2 Samuel 15:6 NLT

The ramifications of David's sin with Bathsheba continue. Not only has David lost the child that Bathsheba was to give birth to, he has lost his son Amnon, who was killed by his brother Absalom for raping their sister Tamar. Then David banished his son Absalom from the kingdom and refused to deal with him for more than two years. He did not seek him out to punish him for murdering Amnon and he did not seek him out to offer amnesty. He did nothing. God had warned David that there would be consequences for his sin with Bathsheba. Among the things God had told David was the fact that he would experience rebellion in his own home. "Because of what you have done, I, the LORD, will cause your own household to rebel against you" (2 Samuel 12:11 NLT). Chapters 14 and 15 record the fulfillment of this prophecy from God.

Once again, we see David's inaction and seeming ineptitude to dealing with the problem of Absalom. Rather than take control of the situation, he let it fester. He allowed Absalom to languish in exile, making no attempt to remedy the matter. It wasn't until Joab attempted to pull a "Nathan the Prophet" plan that David was forced to take action. Using a woman disguised as a widow who told David a story about her two sons, Joab forces David to see the situation surrounding Absalom from a new perspective. He agrees to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem, but then refuses to see him. So Absalom returns, only to find himself banished from the king's presence. Two more years will pass, with Absalom growing increasingly frustrated and angry over David's rejection of him. When he finally gets David to see him, it appears all is well, but Absalom has been poisoned by the treatment he has received. And he begins a methodical plan to take over his father's kingdom. He does it by slowly winning over the hearts of the people. He begins to undermine their trust in David. He becomes their friend and confidant. Driven by bitterness and anger against his dad, Absalom seeks revenge, and fulfills the warning that God had given David.

David is forced to flee from the city of God. When he hears that Absalom has solidified his standing with the people and successfully completed his coup attempt, David flees instead of fighting. He gives up. Rather than stand against Absalom, he does nothing again. He abandons the city. And while we could probably applaud David's seeming willingness to leave matters in God's hands, it seems sad that the king of Israel, God's chosen leader to protect the people of Israel and the city of God, would just walk away, leaving it all in the hands of a murderer and conspirator. Perhaps David is resigned to accept that this is all part of God's punishment of him for his sin with Bathsheba. But it is almost as if a melancholy still lingers in David since his sin was originally exposed. He does not appear to be the man we have come to know. His inaction is uncharacteristic. He is not the young man who took matters into his own hands and single-handedly took on the giant Goliath. Now, when faced with a difficulty, he seems to run. David's sin had compromised his decision-making abilities. He doesn't seem to know what to do. But rather than seek God's will, he seeks to leave – to run away. He abdicates his throne as easily as he had abdicated his responsibilities as a father. When the situation required decisiveness, he did nothing. His inaction had driven his own son to rebel against him. His unwillingness to deal with the matter had not made it go away, it just delayed the inevitable. His inaction had produced a negative reaction. The man after God's own heart had seemingly lost heart. So we find him leaving the city of Jerusalem in mourning, his tail between his legs. But things would get worse before they got better.

Father, forgive me for the times when I choose inaction over action. When I choose to do nothing instead of take responsibility and make the difficult decisions that need to be made. Give me the strength to stand up and be the man you've called me to be. While I always want to trust You, I know there are times I need to step up and do the right thing. Help me to do so. Show me how to deal with the Absaloms in my life biblically and decisively. Amen



Trouble In Camelot.

2 Samuel 13

When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry. ­– 2 Samuel 13:21 NLT

Camelot was the famous, yet fictional kingdom of King Arthur and his court. It has come to symbolize hope for the future and an idyllic setting in which the just and kind king rules over his subjects. And in many ways, David's reign has been cast in that light. If we are not careful, we can end up putting David on a pedestal and painting him as this perfect king who reigned wisely and flawlessly over the people of Israel. But there's only one problem with that picture: the Bible. The Word of God gives us a graphic and sometimes shocking view of David and his life. And 2 Samuel gives us a glimpse of David that is both sad and disappointing. It reveals the character flaws of this man of God and shows us that even a man after God's own heart can sometimes live his life in a way that is less-than-pleasing to God.

In this chapter, we read about events in the life of David and his family not long after the events of chapter 12 – where David had committed his sin with Bathsheba. If you recall, God had warned David that there would be consequences because of what he had done. Not only would he suffer personally, but so would his family.

"Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah and stolen his wife. From this time on, the sword will be a constant threat to your family, because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own. Because of what you have done, I, the LORD, will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man, and he will go to bed with them in public view." – 2 Samuel 12:9-11 NLT

In this chapter we have the sad story of Amnon, Absalom and Tamar. Amnon is David's first-born son, born to David's wife, Ahinoam. Absalom was David's third-born son, born to his wife, Maacah. Tamar was Absalom's sister. Recorded for us is a startling, black and white picture of lust, rape, and murder – all within David's own household. Amnon lusted after his half-sister Tamar. In keeping with James 1, Amnon's lust was not satisfied to remain lust. It craved to be fulfilled. "Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death" (James 1:14-15 NLT). Amnon's evil desires produced evil actions, which resulted in death – his own.

As bad as the rape or Tamar and the murder of Amnon were, the saddest part of this story is the inaction of David. Sure, he got angry over what Amnon did, but he did nothing about it. He took no action. The penalty for rape was death, but David did nothing to punish Amnon. So Absalom was forced to take matters into his own hands. To avenge the rape and degradation of his sister, he plotted and carried out the murder of Amnon. And once again, other than mourn the death of his son, David did nothing. Absalom fled and David did not pursue him. He allowed him to leave and did not seek to bring him back for punishment. Once again, the penalty for Absalom's actions should have been death. But David allowed him to escape and three years would go by before David would see his son Absalom again. David missed Absalom, but did not seek him out, either for punishment or restoration. He did nothing.

David's world had been rocked. He had lost the baby born to Bathsheba as a result of their affair. His daughter Tamar had lost her virginity at the hands of her lust-filled half-brother. Amnon had lost his life at the hands of his revenge-filled brother. And David had lost control over his family. Things were falling apart fast and were about to get even worse. Much of this was the fulfillment of God's words against David for his disobedience and disregard for God's law. But David complicated matters by refusing to act. While he scores high points as a military leader and king, David has a less-than-stellar track record as a father. Maybe he was too busy building a kingdom and fighting battles. Maybe he was spread too thin, with too many wives, too many kids, and too may responsibilities. Whatever the cause, David's inaction would result in continued heartache for himself, and confusion for his kingdom. When David needed to be strong, he was weak. When he needed to lead, he remained silent. When his family needed him most, he was nowhere to be found. Can this be said of some of us as dad's today? May God give us the strength to take our role as fathers seriously. May we lead our families with integrity and guide our homes with Spirit-filled wisdom. May inaction never be our only reaction.

Father, too often it is too easy to do nothing. When difficulties come into my family, I can either find myself with no reaction at all or overreacting – getting angry or sad, but not doing what really needs to be done. Give me the strength to be the father You have called me to be. Help me do what You have called me to do – to lead my family with integrity, wisdom, love, and strength.  Amen