April 29
2 Samuel 17:15-29; Ps 3; Ps 63; 2 Samuel 18:1-19:30
God is perfect, no one else is. As a result, making decisions is often difficult. O, God, please give me a heart that seeks you, and the fullness of the Spirit to discern when to step out against the advice of others and when to heed the advice of others. Please give me the wisdom to discern truth when differing opinions come my way. If we are truthful, our daily walk is difficult, we hear a multitude of voices from our family, at the workplace, from friends, and often we don't know which voices to take seriously and which to disregard. Sometimes honest, well meaning, and godly people give emotional advice without first seeking God, while worldly people at times offer wise advice. Sometimes we pray, but what to believe, and what to follow is not often readily apparent. Though my children are now much older, in their thirties, I remember the many arguments that I refereed when they were younger, often not really knowing who was telling the truth, who was not, and whether or not the verdict that I handed down and the discipline that I administered was correct or not. Now that I am much older, I still seek God's voice in these times of conflict and opposing viewpoints to follow Him. O God, I pray for clear and honest motives, so that it is Your perfect will that I hear, rather than my own will, my own desires, my own flesh that I seek to be satisfied.
We read back in 2 Samuel 7:2-3, "the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!” Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”" A good thought on the part of David, seeking advice from a godly prophet of God, but this time, the prophet gave an emotional response without first seeking God, which later proved to not be God's counsel. In today's reading, Joab, who is often guilty of acting in revenge and ungodly, gives David good advice which David wisely heeds on both occasions. Though it was David's desire to lead his troops against Israel, 18:3-4, " But his men objected strongly. “You must not go,” they urged. “If we have to turn and run—and even if half of us die—it will make no difference to Absalom’s troops; they will be looking only for you. You are worth 10,000 of us, and it is better that you stay here in the town and send help if we need it.” “If you think that’s the best plan, I’ll do it,” the king answered." Later, after Absalom's forces are soundly defeated, David weeps and mourns over his son's death, to which Joab strongly urges in 19:7, " Now go out there and congratulate your troops, for I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a single one of them will remain here tonight. Then you will be worse off than ever before.”. David wisely heeds this advice. Then there is the differing stories of two people who seem to serve David lovingly in Ziba and Mephibosheth. Ziba gives one version in 16:1-4, now Mephibosheth gives an entirely different account in 19:24-30. Mephibosheth, desiring nothing for himself, only the well being of the King David, certainly appears to be telling the truth. David wisely gives his verdict, not fully knowing who is telling the truth and who is not.
Pride is an interesting sin, because we all suffer with it to some extent or another, yet if we are honest, how is it that we hold onto our own views so tenaciously when we all know how often we can't decipher truth or not. There is certainly the truth of God's word and when one view opposes God's Word and the other upholds it, then it is easy to decipher truth, if we are sensitive and abide in His perfect Word. But many moment to moment life decisions do not fall so neatly into these two categories. It is because of this that we learn that He is God, He is perfect, and we are from it. It is because of this we must remain sensitive to the fact that we might have made an incorrect decision, even if done with good motives, not having all the correct facts. It is this reality which allows us to position ourselves submissively underneath the arms of God seeking His wisdom, along with His mercy, when we are wrong so often. It is why if we have even the slightest ability to self-reflect on this truth, pride seems almost ludicrous to hold onto. Jesus knows this, and we read in the Beatitudes, in Matthew 5:3-6 (NKJV), "“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled."
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: