Tag: 2 Samuel

Posted in Leadership, Life Inspiration, Life's Failures

But Now… get busy

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on But Now… get busy

chick Anointed

2 Samuel 12:19-24

19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. 20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. 21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. 22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? 23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him.

I somehow or another missed this verse in the “But Now Series” so we’re back tracking one in the order that this will be a thorough study. And it’s not one to be missed for a few reasons. The story of David and Bathsheba’s affair was certainly not one of David’s stellar moments. I find it more than a little interesting that the greater portion of “But Now” moments have involved David, we’ll see if that plays out until the end; but it won’t surprise me that it does. Who better for Satan to attack than the man after God’s own heart? If he’s going to ruin a testimony he’s going to ruin one of the most talked about individuals in the community. So before we cast a stone at the fallen child of God, do you know what God’s plans were for them? They might have been a great and mighty soldier for the cross, but for being human. Satan doesn’t attack the ne’re-do-well, how would that help his cause? He attacks someone who really wants to do the right thing, but gets distracted by something beautiful and thinks… maybe just once.

But “once” had a tiny little face and David loved it, but the baby died.

And in this “But now” story David has confused his servants. When the child was sick David refused to eat and wept in great sorrow, “but now” that the child had died, David got up, got dressed and went on about the business of the day. It wasn’t that he was heartless or without mourning, for it says he comforted his wife. And I’m sure in the privacy of their home they still shed tears, but this day David knows that nothing can be done to change God’s mind, and it’s time to go on.

Be it in life and death, life and a career, life and a marriage or life and something else we’ve lost, we have to stop the mourning.  The reason it happened may or may not have been any of our own, but we have the answer; it’s done and we can’t undo it. I have had more than a few of those moments in my life, but I’m not nearly so smart as David. I want to wallow in it for a day, a month, a year… What about you?

Is there something that God has said “It’s over,” and you just won’t let it be? How about today we clean ourselves up, anoint ourselves (putting on the Word of God) and get back in the business of serving and worshiping God as He deserves. I can’t believe I almost missed this “But Now” experience. All Satan had to do was get a computer program to un-bold one word and I missed it, but God knew we needed it. So here are… but now… get busy.

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration

But now… it’s time for you to step aside

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on But now… it’s time for you to step aside

chick ste

2 Samuel 18:3

But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.

A hard lesson in leadership is to step aside when there is someone better suited for the job. Even harder still is when it’s something that you’re passionate about and you have a goal in mind that you’d like to see accomplished. Such was the case as David and his army prepared to battle Absalom. Their goal as an army was to destroy the enemy whose goal was to take out David; for without David in leadership they knew his army would likely fall apart.  David’s love for Absalom governed his heart and he had ask the troop leaders to “Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom” (Vs. 5)

It wasn’t that David didn’t want what God wanted when he made the request for them to spare Absalom, David was a man after God’s own heart. But just like the rest of us, our passions can sometimes cloud our vision and prevent us from seeing what those around us see clearly.

David’s comrades knew that same truth, that without him in leadership they’d be in trouble. It would be much safer for them all if he was not in the battle. David loved Absalom, but that love was not reciprocated and Absalom would have killed his father in a minute.

Matthew Henry once said that “Wisdom teaches us to make the best of the strength we have, and let it reach to the utmost.” Sometimes the strength we have lies in the leadership around us.”

Absalom was killed and David’s heart was broken.

32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

God’s plans don’t always go as we’d like. But David’s clouded leadership didn’t see the vantage point of God that would have likely lead to Absalom being a thorn in David’s side for years to come and undermining God’s design for Israel. His leadership understood it though. Joab finally had to step in again and bring David to his senses.

Chapter 19:5-7

And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines; In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well. Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the Lord, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

I heard it once said that a church rises and falls on leadership. That’s a scary thought, and Like King David we sometimes need a reality check when our decisions are clouded by our passions. God loves passionate people! Just make sure it’s focused passion and that when there is someone better suited to get the job done, let your leaders shine!

FROM THE STUDY “BUT NOW”