2 Samuel 1-4

Israel is divided in 1 Samuel 1-4.  David gets the news that Saul and several of his sons, including David's best friend Jonathan, are dead.  David grieves for these fallen men, even for Saul, and he continues to seek justice in all that he does. David is anointed king over the tribe of Judah, and the rest of Israel is under the reign of Saul's son, Ish-Bosheth.  The house of David and the house of Saul go at each other in battle for a long time.  It's bloody and messy, and it gets really dirty before it's over.  David continues to win with God, and Saul's house begins to fall apart.

We read in 1 Samuel 13:14 that God "has sought out a man after his own heart."

That man is David.  And as we see his story unfold, we learn so much about what that looks like in the midst of all life's battles.

David keeps his focus on God.  God is not only his strength, God is his direction.  David goes to God, and God tells David what to do next.  And, you know what?  It's obvious, putting God first in the world really works for David.  

In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked.

The Lord said, “Go up.”

David asked, “Where shall I go?”

“To Hebron,” the Lord answered.

2 Samuel 1

To this day, turning to God works for us too.  God has very specific plans for each of us.

Yielding to God works because it allows God to handle all the overwhelming and complicated details with His own hands.    

We see God doing just that as Saul's empire basically implodes from within.  There's chaos, but with God at work, there's peace and patience at the same time.  David doesn't have to make God's promises happen for his life.  By the end of 2 Samuel 4, many of the people who stood in David's way of the throne of Israel are out of the picture.  And to top it off, David's favor with God is spilling over and beginning to win the hearts of more and more Israelites.

David is successful, not because of his hard working, ingenious hands but because of his consistently faithful, praying hands.

A prayer for today-

Dear God,

Thank You for being with me, always ready and willing to give me Your direction.  Forgive me for being too quick to take matters into my own hands.  

Help me, Lord, to turn to You and wait patiently with Your peace and Your strength sustaining me.

I trust You with all the details of my life.

God, Your promises and Your ways are so much better than even my biggest dreams and my most thoughtful plans.

I yield my life to You, Lord.  Transform my heart more and more.  Make Your will come true in me.

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen

Peace of Christ,

*This post is part of A Mind-Maker-Upper's Everyday Reading Project.  Click here to read more.