Tag: David

Still Fighting Giants

and David grew weary 2 Sam 21 15 ESV

2 Samuel 21–22

Psalm 57

1 Corinthians 5

-Devotion by Melissa New (AR)

This passage surprised me the last time I read it. We all know the account of young David fighting the giant, Goliath. But we don’t always notice that David was still fighting giants late in life. There were other giants in Gath besides Goliath, and it’s not hard to imagine that some of them remembered what David had done.

David is older and has been king a long time. He has fought many battles. And he’s seen so many things; victory, failure, betrayal, grief, and mercy. But even near the end of his life, the giants are still coming.

In 2 Samuel 21, David and his servants are fighting the Philistines “once again.” One of the descendants of the giants, Ishbi-Benob, sees his chance and thinks he can kill the king. We know he is a giant because he’s a descendant of Rapha, and the Scripture tells us his bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels (quite heavy for just a spearhead). He is also armed with a new sword. Ishbi-Benob appears battle-ready and dangerous.

During the battle, David became exhausted. But Abishai comes to David’s aid and strikes the giant down. Abishai is the brother of Joab and also one of David’s nephews. David is still David, but he’s not as strong as he once was. The man who once stood alone before Goliath now needs someone else to step in and help him.

There are seasons when God gives us strength to stand and fight. There are also seasons when God sends someone else to stand beside us because our strength is almost gone. David had once been the young man delivering Israel from a giant. Now another man is delivering David.

After this, David’s men tell him that he should no longer go out with them to battle, “so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.” They aren’t dishonoring him. They are protecting him. The king of Israel would be a target for any enemy, but you wouldn’t want to see the king who came to prominence by defeating a giant meet his end at the hands of a giant either.

It can be hard for us as we get older to realize that we aren’t as strong as we once were. There is wisdom in seeing where others are more able. Sometimes faithfulness means letting others help. The battles will still come up, but our role in the battle changes.

The chapter tells us that “in the course of time” another giant needed to be defeated.  Sibbecai the Hushathite killed the next giant, Saph. Sibbecai is named as one of David’s commanders who led 24,000 Israelite men in 1 Chronicles 27:11.

Then there is another battle at Gob. In this battle, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod. This was an unusually large and heavy weapon. (In 1 Chronicles 20:5 the giant fought here is described as being Goliath’s brother, Lahmi.) Elhanan was probably another of David’s elite fighting men, very likely one of the Thirty mentioned in 2 Samuel 23.

Then there is another battle in Gath where a giant with “six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot” is fought. Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, killed this unnamed giant who was also a descendant of Rapha in Gath.

In seven short verses we see four more giant encounters! David went out with his men to fight Ishbi-Benob and the Philistines, but his men convinced him that they can handle the giants now.

What a legacy that David is able to see for himself! David showed his men how to have the courage and faith to defeat Israel’s enemies. He had men under him who were also capable of killing giants. Some were part of his mighty men and some were his very own nephews.

This is definitely a victory in David’s life. He did not just defeat a giant. He helped raise up men who could keep fighting when more giants came. We often think that one great victory will settle everything. We think if we defeat one giant, we should be done with giants. But life does not usually work that way.

Life is full of battles, unfortunately. Jesus told us we would have trouble. (John 16:33) There are battles we thought we had already settled and won, but they come back up. There are battles that come when we are tired. There are battles that come when we are wounded. There are battles that come when we may need others around us to step up and help us get through it. (It is good to have “mighty men” and faithful family nearby. And they don’t have to be blood-related. Our church family is so important!)

David’s story reminds us that faith is not proven only in one dramatic moment. Faith must keep trusting God after the famous victory is over and when we don’t feel as strong as we want to feel.

In 2 Samuel 22, David sings.

“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer.” He ends the song with, “The LORD lives! Praise be to my rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!” (2 Samuel 22:47)

Let’s not forget to sing and praise God for what He does for us either!  All the “giants” or “battles” we find ourselves up against are another opportunity for God to show how very faithful and good He is.

We want to be like David; a leader who surrounded himself with faithful men who could help and advise him in times of need. But we want to be like David’s mighty men and nephews too. Do you know of someone who could use help in their battle? Maybe God has placed us near them for that very reason.

Reflection Questions

Do we acknowledge that we will face many battles and also prepare ourselves for them?

Do we let others help us when don’t feel strong enough to get through it on our own?

Are we training our children and younger family members to walk with God, so that one day they can help strengthen us and others when battles come?

Do we pay attention to the needs of others and help them with their battles too?

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father – I praise You for Your goodness and faithfulness. I am thankful that You are a God of strength and might and You do not grow tired and weary. Show me where and when I would be wise and faithful to offer and give aid and also where and when I ought to accept or ask for help. Help me be strong and wise for every task You are preparing for me to do, and also know what is the job for another. Help me intentionally and effectively raise up workers for Your kingdom. In Your Son’s name I pray.

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Who is Your God?

*2 Samuel 11-12

Psalm 55

*Romans 16

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            Have you ever focused so much on yourself that, whether accidentally or on purpose, you excluded God?  I have, and I say that to my shame.  Even now, as I’m trying to seek God with my whole heart, I find that I’m disturbingly easily distracted.  It’s embarrassing and concerning to me.  I have to maintain a constant vigil and firmly correct myself when I’m looking off to the side because I know from my own personal and painful experiences that “bad things” happen when I don’t let God rule my life (See 2/5 devotion).  In our reading in Romans 16 today, there’s a short little blurb in v18 that says “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own stomach…“(LSB).  Ouch.

            The verse above is strikingly reminiscent of Phil 3:19 which states “whose end is destruction, whose God is their stomach…who set their thoughts on earthly things.” (LSB).  The (many) creature comforts that we have been given are nice, but if they are distracting us from proper service to and worship of our God then they have become a juicy, tasty looking worm on the end of a very sharp, barbed, and deadly hook to us.  We see from the above verse that the end of (exclusive) self gratification is destruction, and Paul clearly tells us it’s a bad idea.  Just think of what you could do with 30 pieces of silver though…but was it worth it? It wasn’t, it never is.  We were bought at a (very high) price, and to act solely in our own self interests is to dishonor the one who paid it for us.  Don’t set your thoughts on earthly things.

            In our 2 Samuel reading today, it’s not his stomach that has become his God but another anatomical bit, and David sets his thoughts on earthly things.  He sees from the roof of his house a woman bathing: she’s beautiful and he makes inquiries about her, finding out that she’s Eliam’s daughter and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.  Despite this, David sends for her, sleeps with her, and she becomes pregnant (2 Sam 11: 1-5).  This is not only a violation of God’s law, but one of the basest social human betrayals that you could possibly imagine once you understand who Uriah was.

            To understand better, King David had a mixed army of about 288,000 men, these were organized into 12 divisions of around 24,000 men each.  This consisted of a paid standing army (regular troops whose job it was to fight), a militia designated by tribe (armed citizens who fought under veteran commanders) who took turns by month serving unless there was a special need and all of the people where called, and then his “Mighty Men” or “The 30“; a small but elite group of about 37 men (later expanded to 80) that were very much the equivalent of the Special Forces of the time, the ancient Jewish equivalent of Navy Seals, or probably more accurately, “Mossad”.  (external sources include: chabad.org, biblicalwarfare.com, and it aligns logically with what we know from scripture).  Uriah was one of the Mighty Men.

            The Mighty Men of David were generally thought to have been the fierce and loyal followers who stayed with him when he was fleeing King Saul (or at times exceptional fighters who joined later and gained their position from extraordinary feats of bravery). At the very least, they fought side by side with him. Uriah’s closeness to David is illustrated by how closely he lived to the palace, you could see his house clearly from the roof of David’s house.  There is a special bond formed when men fight beside each other, when their lives are in danger, and when they are forced to rely on each other for survival.  David considered all of this, and then chose to betray his close friend in order to feed his earthly appetite.           

            Then, as sin often does, it got worse.  David tried to conceal his crime (2 Sam 11: 6-13) by trying to get Uriah to go sleep with his wife (and failing because of Uriah’s fierce loyalty and code of honor), and then resorts to having Uriah killed (2 Sam 11: 14-27).  Understanding how fiercely loyal his friend Uriah was and how David repaid that loyalty is truly cringe-worthy.  I can’t think of a deeper betrayal that one human could do to another, it’s definitely the low point of David’s life.

            This is all starkly shocking considering the favor that God has shown David, but it should highlight the painful fact that we are all subject to the lusts of our own flesh and must constantly discipline ourselves to remain true.  David was a man after God’s own heart, but he was still a man, and all men have fallen short.  In this case he broke a number of commandments, killed one of his closest friends, and betrayed the trust of a nation and his God.

            When Nathan shows up to speak to David in 2 Sam 12: 1-14, he tells David a parable of a rich man who took advantage of a poor man and took his one beloved ewe, and David reacts in outrage and says that the man should be killed, after which Nathan explains that it is David himself who was that rich man, and offers a bit of punitive prophecy in v10-12 and v14 (war, betrayal of David, his wives taken publicly, and the baby will die).  He is also told at this time that God will forgive him (v13), but all of these dark prophecies against him will still take place as a result of his sin.  This shows us yet again that our God is indeed a God of justice, but also of mercy.

            David’s actions at this point should be a template to us when we sin: he weeps, he prostrates himself before God, and fasts intensely.  He begs and pleads with God.  We can presume that he tore his robes and put ashes on his head (although it doesn’t specifically say that) as was customarily done in those days to express regret.  He does his absolute very best to humble himself and to, if possible, avert the catastrophe that Yahweh has promised in return for his sin.  In this instance, God did not revoke his judgment and the baby dies, but later when Solomon was born it says (in 2 Sam 12:24) that “God loved him”.

            As a side note, in 2 Sam 12:26-30 there is a “war event” that requires a mustering of all of the forces (probably around 288,000 men, as noted above).  This is usually noted by the phrase “all the people”, or sometimes “all of Israel”, as in v29.  There’s a bit of disturbing information towards the end of this chapter in v31 that describes the practices of the conquering armies to their enemies that just highlights how brutal war was (and is).  I recommend you don’t read it if you don’t have a strong stomach, but if you do read this please note that these were the practices of men and not the commandments of God, and make that clear distinction in your mind.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Each of us is very different, but we are also much the same.  Reflect for a moment on David’s greatest sin, what was the worst sin that you have ever committed?
  2. When you repented of that sin, how specifically did you ask God to forgive you?
  3. Is that sin still poignantly fresh in your mind?  Whatever your answer is, why?
  4. What steps did you take in order to never commit that same sin again, and were you successful?
  5. How can we be successful against temptation to sin?  What are your specific weaknesses and what measures can you personally take that will help you to overcome them?

PRAYER

Father God, please forgive me of all of my sin, whether intentional or unthinking.  Please show me the way into Your kingdom, and cleanse me of all my wrongdoing and many shortcomings.  Help me to listen and to obey Your word, and to honor the price that was paid for my salvation.  Thank you Lord God for sending us Your son to teach us, and to be an example of obedience.  Discipline us God, not in Your wrath lest we be destroyed, but according to Your mercies.  Thank you Father, in Jesus name, Amen.

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Never Alone

Leviticus 24-25

Psalm 13

Matthew 26

–Devotion by Emilee Christian (MO)

I love the Psalms, especially those by David. David didn’t shy away from sharing his conflicting emotions with the Creator. Psalms 13, while short, is an excellent example. He begins the Psalms questioning God, feeling abandoned by Him. David pleads with the LORD for deliverance. Yet, David ends with a submission of praise. Personally, I don’t think anything happened to change David’s circumstances in between verses 4 and 5. Rather, I think David resolved himself to continue to trust in God’s unfailing word, even when he could not see its immediate fulfillment. The sort of dedication David has towards the LORD at the end of this Psalm very much reminds me of Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane.

Jesus, like David, knows what it feels like to be alone. We see this in our reading from Matthew 26. Jesus understands how it feels to feel forsaken or forgotten by God. Jesus knows anguish, a sorrow that rests heavy in one’s heart. The words of David in Psalms 13 echo the story of Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus’ accusers had the upper hand as they beat him, gloating and rejoicing in his suffering. Knowing all he was about to endure, Jesus still submitted to God’s plan. He went away with his accusers willingly. His submission was an act of praise and worship, just as David’s words are in the conclusion of Psalms 13. 

We will face struggles in our life as well. Though many of us will not be facing death by crucifixion or a life on the run from an angry king, we will face trials that leave us feeling desolate and hopeless. It is then we can take refuge in knowing our Savior, our High Priest, has felt the same. 

There is strength in numbers. Even the most introverted value and thrive upon community. It’s how our Creator designed us. When our soul feels crushed, we can run to the Savior who understands us. May we not forget that we have a powerful best friend in our corner. Jesus knows pain. Jesus knows loss. We are not alone. 

Reflection Questions:

  1. Why do you think there is so much detail about Christ’s suffering? Is it simply for the fulfillment of scripture or do you think there could be another purpose for the narrative?
  2. What does the knowledge of having a savior who can personally relate to your pain mean for you? If you are currently going through a trial, how does the knowledge your Savior can relate affect you? 
  3. How can you rededicate yourself to God during your own trials?

PRAYER:

Dear LORD,

Thank you for your Word. Thank you for reminding us that we are not alone. Thank you for giving us a Jesus who knows what it is to cry tears of anguish late into the night. Even when things feel hopeless, may I turn to You. Strengthen my resolve to do Your will. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

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Leaving a Legacy

1 Chr 22; Ps 30, 108-110

There’s nothing quite like the moment when you hold your little newborn baby in your arms. For months, you dreamed of when they would arrive, what they would look like, and the sweetness of that moment. But, your dreaming of the future doesn’t stop once you get home from the hospital. 

With every birthday, we imagine the future self that they will grow into. Some of our dreams are realized, and some are given up as life passes on. 

My husband has always wanted to be a Golf Player (with a capital G, capital P). When we learned we were pregnant with our first, he immediately said, ‘He can grow up and learned to be good at golf.’ Even if we don’t want to admit it, we all do this.

We all have dreams that we pass on to our children. Some of these dreams are our unrealized hopes for our own future. We think, “I can’t do this, but maybe my kids can.” Some of these dreams are our way of passing on our accomplishments. We build a family business and want our kids to continue that legacy. 

David had his own special dream that he wanted to pass down to his children that was a combination of both his unrealized hopes and his hard-won legacy. Since Solomon was young, David knew that his little boy would grow up to do what he wasn’t able to do: Build the temple. So, David spent his lifetime paving the way for Solomon, assembling together all the resources he would need to do something magnificent. 

My son is still young. No, we haven’t done golf lessons – yet. But, he has a few clubs to play with. There is still time for him to become that Golf Player that we dreamed of five years ago. 

But, as I read through David’s story, I’m moved to imagine a different kind of legacy that I want to pass on. I don’t just want to have dreams that center around things that would be ‘cool to do.’ My dreams for him are to build a legacy that would glorify God and impact the world.

How are we launching others to do good work for God? Are you helping those coming after you build a lasting legacy of glorifying God? 

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce blogs at https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, family, and life. You’ll find encouragement for how to build intentional lives rooted in faith and beauty. Check out the latest post on the human nature of Jesus here. 

Reflection Questions

  1. What were some hopes and dreams that you wanted for yourself but have passed you by? 
  2. If you have kids, how have you tried to realize those dreams in your children? 
  3. What is the legacy you want to leave? How are you setting up the people who come after you to glorify God? 

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David’s Costly Mistake

2 Sam 24, 1 Chr 21

When David sinned with Bathsheba, we see him at his lowest point. He is made to confront his sin as Nathan the profit reminds him how God brought him up from being a shepherd boy to king over all of Israel. God humbled him and cut through his swollen pride to remind him of his true heart. 

We would think after such a time as that David would be ‘home free.’ The story was played out, exposition, conflict, resolution, and all. David would be able to live righteously the rest of his life, ‘happily ever after.’ 

But we know that life isn’t like a fairy tale. As we talked about earlier this week, we all experience highs and lows. We have many story arcs throughout the years. And, David did too. 

We don’t know how many years have passed since David and Bathesheba’s sin and the events we read about today. But, today we read about another step off the good and righteous path that David took. This blunder resulted in more than the death of one man and one child. It resulted in the death of 70,000 people. 

In 1 Chr. 21, it says, “Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.” 

David’s request seems pretty innocuous. Censuses happened throughout scripture, but generally, they occurred when God commanded them. (The first part of that passage is a whole different theological question… that we are not going to talk about today.) In this case, the people weren’t being numbered because it pleased God. They were being numbered so that David could be puffed up in pride over the strength of the army he had gathered. Even Joab, not a very righteous man, told David he was crazy for wanting to do this. 

David’s guilt left him with a choice: How was he going to atone for his sins? The price of his sin turned out to be a disease against Israel, because of which 70,000 people died. 

Finally, David fell to the ground and pleaded for God to stop for the sake of his ‘sheep’, the people of Israel. David bought an altar that would become the future site of the temple of God. 

From today’s reading, we see: 

  • We should never think that we are ‘too righteous’ to never sin. No matter how long you walk with God, you have the potential to be tempted away from the right path. This does not mean that we live in fear. It means that we need to recognize the importance of relying on God. 
  • Our sins affect our community. When David did this thing, he chose to sin himself. But, his sins affected an entire nation. 70,000 people is more people than the US casualties in the Vietnam war… and every major US conflict since. We think we are doing things in isolation but they have far-reaching consequences for the people around us. 
  • God can use painful things for good. The altar that David sacrificed to end the plague ended up being the future site of the temple. Even evil situations can be redeemed by God and used for good – if we humble ourselves, repent, and ask God to enter into the situation. 

How are you living today?

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce blogs at https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, family, and life. You’ll find encouragement for how to build intentional lives rooted in faith and beauty. Check out the latest post on the human nature of Jesus here. 

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you ever felt ‘too big to fail?’ What are some ways that we can cultivate humility in our lives? 
  2. How does sin have far-reaching consequences? How have you seen others affected by sin that seemed like something done in secret and isolation? 
  3. How can God use broken situations for good? Is there a broken situation in your life that you need to invite God into today?

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Worthy of Worship

Ps 95, 97-99

Music has always been a huge part of my life. From singing along to Veggie Tales songs in the car to being dressed up in my Sunday Best doing a ‘special’ on Sunday Mornings, from an early age I was taught the importance and beauty of song sung in worship. 

I still like to sing and dance to ‘I Like Bananas’ around a campfire, but my understanding of worship has expanded and grown. Just singing doesn’t mean that we are worshipping God, and sometimes the most worshipful moments are done in silence. We all know the days where we are going through the motions in a Church service, singing familiar words without it ever truly reaching our hearts. 

What should a heart of worship look like?

In today’s reading, we see Psalm after Psalm of praise and worship. Importantly, the Psalms show the heart behind worshipping God. 

A heart of worship is: 

  • Based on the character of God, not the quality of our voices. We don’t sing praises because we ‘sound good.’ We sing praises because God is the ultimate thing that is worthy of praise. We sing because he has truly done ‘marvelous things.’
  • Grounded in the truth of scripture, not the beat of the song. The Psalms repeat the truth again and again: “The Lord reigns.” Why? Because the transformative power of worship is focused on repeating the truths of scripture to ourselves. We can praise God and weather difficult circumstances because God reigns. 
  • Focused on remembrance, not emotions. Our summer camps were always a highlight of the year because we loved the worship. But the truly quality of worship isn’t based on the quality of the band. It’s based on the way we remind ourselves of the goodness and faithfulness of God and praise him for it. 

Today, let’s cultivate a heart of worship.

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce blogs at https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, family, and life. You’ll find encouragement for how to build intentional lives rooted in faith and beauty. Check out the latest post on the human nature of Jesus here. 

Reflection Questions

  1. How do you cultivate worship in your life? 
  2. What should characterize a ‘heart of worship’?
  3. Create a list of attributes about God that you can use while you worship. 

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The Rollercoaster Ride of Life

2 Sam 22-23, Ps 57

One of my son’s favorite places to go is Dollywood Theme Park in Tennessee. He loves the decorations, the shows, and the food, but his favorite thing to do is ride the rollercoasters. I’ve never been a huge fan – I’m deathly afraid of heights and don’t like the feeling of being slung around. But, you can tell the joy (and a little fear) on his face as he clicks up to the first big drop and then races down through the twists and turns. Of course, at the very end, he always turns to me and says, “Can we ride it again?” 

David’s life was definitely a roller coaster ride. He was sent to watch sheep by his father while Samuel came to pick the king, only to be called from the fields and anointed. He was elevated to be a part of King Saul’s court, only to be forced to flee for his life at night. He spent 15 years running from Saul, only to finally be crowned king. And this isn’t to mention Bathsheba, Abasolom, and the census. 

So many highs and so many lows. 

But, through it all David remained faithful. 

We can see the contrast between the highs and lows as we read Psalm 57 and David’s song in 2 Samuel 22.

In Psalm 57:4, David cries out, “My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts— the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.” But still, he praises God. 

In 2 Samuel 22:17-20, he exclaims, “[God] sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.”

In both the highs and lows, David cried out to God. He praises God. He finds refuge in God. 

You may be stuck on the roller coaster now. You may be in the lowest of lows, or you may be high on that mountaintop. But, wherever you are, remember God is there with you. 

Wait on the Lord. Put your trust in God. He is faithful. He will walk you through it. 

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce blogs at https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, family, and life. You’ll find encouragement for how to build intentional lives rooted in faith and beauty. Check out the latest post on the human nature of Jesus here. 

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you experienced a low time in your life? Where did you turn for comfort and support at this time? How did you see God’s faithfulness in this time? 
  2. How does remembering God’s past faithfulness help you to navigate your present circumstances? 
  3. What are some ways that you can incorporate more worship into your life? 

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A Man After God’s Own Heart

Ps 5, 38, 41-42

One Sabbath day, Paul came to a synagogue in Antioch (a city in modern-day Turkey) and sat down to listen to the law and scriptures. After the reading was down, Paul got up and gave a sermon. Nestled in the middle of his speech is this interesting passage, “After [God] had removed [Saul], [God] raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.” (Acts 13:22)

How amazing it would be to be known as a man (or woman) after God’s own heart! Of all the epitaphs that we could put on our tombstones, this would be the highest praise. 

But, we know that there is more to David’s life than just this statement. In fact, it seems a little incongruous to describe the man who sent Uriah to die because of his sin and who sent an Angel of the Lord on his people because of his decision to do a census as a man after God’s own heart. 

I think the Psalms we read today – the cries written from David’s own heart – show how he reflected the heart of God. 

In the Psalms, we see that: 

  • David understood that God loves righteousness and hates evil. David repeats the truth to himself that God does not delight in wickedness. When he comes to God in prayer, he describes his wickedness as wounds that stink and fester. This bleak picture demonstrates his view of sin: it is evil and something from which you should flee.
  • David understood the importance of confession. David’s harsh view of sin did not mean that he was blameless. We know that he slipped and fell multiple times and had to deal with the consequences of his actions. Still, when David veered from the good and right path, he recognized it and he turned back toward God. He didn’t minimize sin, and once he humbled himself, he didn’t stay in his sin. Instead, he confessed and repented. 
  • David longed for God. He longed for God’s temple, God’s favor, and God’s very presence. He longed for it as deer pants for streams of water. He describes his soul as thirsting for God. And we know that God is the author and sustainer of life. As the very best thing, he is the ultimate thing we should long for. 

To be a man after God’s own heart didn’t mean that David had to be perfectly sinless. No human is able to do that in this lifetime. Instead, being a man after God’s heart means that we are trying to make our heart – our priorities, desires, and understandings – match the heart of God. 

If we want to be people after God’s own heart, we should: 

  • Love righteousness, and hate evil 
  • Repent from our sins in humility
  • Place God as our utmost desire

How would you describe your heart today? 

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce blogs at https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, family, and life. You’ll find encouragement for how to build intentional lives rooted in faith and beauty. Check out the latest post on the human nature of Jesus here. 

Reflection Questions

  1. David was anointed king after the downfall of Saul. How would you describe the difference between the heart of Saul and the heart of David? 
  2. What is your view of sin? How do you show your view of sin in your actions or your willingness to confess and seek repentance? 
  3. What does it mean to long for God ‘as a deer pants for streams of water’? Do you long for God in this way? How could you deepen your desire for God? 

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Living Wisely in a Wounded World

2 Sam 19-21

The Kingdom of Israel is in the midst of a terrible civil war. Brother had turned against brother and sons against their fathers. The battle was over. Absalom, the rebellious son, had been killed. 

At first glance, it seems like David should be rejoicing. He was king again over Israel. Instead, he was caught up in his grief.

 Joab told him in 2 Samuel 19:5-7, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines, because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”

Then, David picked himself up out of the sackcloth and ashes and made his way back to Jerusalem to take back the throne. 

This passage strikes me in the way that David has to navigate the circumstances that appear. People grovel at his feet while double-crossing their masters. Political turmoil and intrigue roil underneath the surface as another revolt occurs. A famine stretches the land to its breaking point, and difficult decisions have to be made. 

David has to live wisely to save not only himself but also the entire nation from more war, brokenness, and suffering. 

And through it all, we see this: our choices carry weight.

What does wise living look like? 

  1. Wise Living means stepping out of our circumstances to fulfill our God-given role. Grieving is a necessary part of life. It has its place as we mourn those we love. But, we cannot stay in a place of grief forever. We have to move on and step into our calling. 
  2. Wise Living means pursuing reconciliation without compromising truth. As David worked to restore peace in Jerusalem, he had to act as judge over the people who supported him and revolted under him. Through it all, David was not led by vengeance. 
  3. Wise Living means recognizing the long-term consequences of sin. In a heartbreaking scene, we see how to pay the blood guilt of Saul a mother who had to lose her sons. Our sin can cause brokenness in our lives, our families’ lives, and the lives of future generations. 

Wise Living is a radical decision in this world, but ultimately, it leads to righteousness. How are you pursuing wisdom in this broken world today? 

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce blogs at https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, family, and life. You’ll find encouragement for how to build intentional lives rooted in faith and beauty. Check out the latest post on the human nature of Jesus here. 

Reflection Questions

  1. What decisions am I making today that will shape the next season of my life or family?
  2. Where is God calling me to seek reconciliation, even when it’s complicated
  3. How might I carry my grief with both honesty and courage?

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Our Hope in Every Season

Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust

Ps 26, 40, 58, 61-62, 64

Mother Teresa spoke of ‘the dark night of the soul.’ You would think that someone who served in such a ministry would be a titan of faith, impervious to doubt. But still, she wrestled with God. 

And, who could blame her? I’m sure that the stresses of her ministry continually bashed against the rock of her faith. 

All of our circumstances have a way of doing that. They are the waves of doubt, of shame, of sin, and of fear. They hit us throughout life in the jeers of our friends in middle school to the first heartbreak that comes with young love to the frustration of parenthood to the inevitable pain that comes with the final breaths our loved ones take.

James says that someone who doubts is like a wave blown and tossed by the wind. The antidote to that doubt is faith. But, what can be said of us then? For who can say that they haven’t wrestled with God? 

As we turn through the pages of scripture, we find that we are in good company. Abraham, Moses, and of course, Jacob wrestled with God in their own way. And, we see David struggling through the pain of his circumstances in the Psalms we read today. 

David cries out to God. He begs him to turn and listen. For someone who had slept on the floors of caves and pretended to be a madman in an enemy’s court, these words are more than just cliché. 

David always goes back to the same statement, ‘In God alone I trust. I will wait patiently for the Lord.’ 

How powerful that statement is. And, oh how hard it is. 

In the seasons of my life, I have prayed. When I woke up, when I lay my head down, and all the footsteps in between were filled with the same cry. And yet, my prayers were unanswered. What could I do? 

In those times – even now – I could make a choice to turn my face from God. But, the question “Oh Lord, who could I turn to? Where could I go from your presence? Who have I but you?” rings out. 

David understood this truth. God is our strong refuge in both the good times and bad. In health and sickness. Riches and poverty. Joy and sorrow. We turn to him in every season, and we wait patiently for him to act. 

And when we do, we understand the truth of Psalm 40:4-8: 

“4 Blessed is the man who makes

    the Lord his trust,

who does not turn to the proud,

    to those who go astray after a lie!

5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,

    your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;

    none can compare with you!

I will proclaim and tell of them,

    yet they are more than can be told.

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,

    but you have given me an open ear.

Burnt offering and sin offering

    you have not required.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

    in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

8 I delight to do your will, O my God;

    your law is within my heart.”

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce blogs at https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, family, and life. You’ll find encouragement for how to build intentional lives rooted in faith and beauty. Check out the latest post on the human nature of Jesus here. 

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you ever experienced a season of sorrow or silence? What was the outcome?
  2. What does it mean to wait on the Lord? Try to create a sentence-long definition of what that looks like.
  3. How is the perseverance of the saints related to waiting on God? Why is perseverance an important virtue in the Christian life?

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