Devotionary

Another ruler was coming, who would also be a Shepherd King. He would be the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise. And while He does not currently sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem, one day He will. And He will prove to be a just and righteous king.

Nothing of value David had ever accomplished had been without God’s help. David was a God-made man, not a self-made one. His life had come from God. His reign had been ordained by God. His position as king had been appointed by God. And he never forgot it.

Let’s face it, David had a lot he could have complained about. But rather than whine and moan, David glorified God and declared that His way is perfect. Pretty amazing when you consider all the things that had happened to him on his way to the throne.

David had found himself the focus of an unrelenting effort on the part of Saul to put him to death. And yet, he had nothing but praises to sing about God. He had learned that his God could be trusted to guide and provide.

David and his men would face some formidable foes who were super-sized and larger-than-life. But regardless of their stature, these Philistines were no match for David's men, because God was on their side. The Philistines were great, but God was greater.

Saul’s decision to kill some of the Gibeonites was done outside the will of God, breaking the covenant commitment and reflecting poorly on God, because the oath the Israelites had sworn their oath before the Lord and in His name. And others would suffer.

In this episode, we'll see what happens when an obscure, yet wise woman, steps into a volatile situation, defusing the tension and bringing about a God-honoring outcome. Wisdom really does work. And the wisdom that works best is that which comes from God.

Just when David was trying to solidify his hold on the kingdom, more civil unrest erupted. And all that was happening around David was directly tied to his illicit affair with Bathsheba. David had sowed to the wind and was reaping the whirlwind.

Not everyone was thrilled with David’s return. While he believed all the tribes were on his side, he was in for a rude awakening. And because he was making decisions without God’s input, some of his bright ideas were going to have dark outcomes.

Being a leader is one thing. Being a wise leader is something else. And being a wise and godly leader is something different altogether. Godly leaders get their wisdom from God. And that seems to be something David had forgotten.

Like always, David’s decisions will have long-term ramifications. His choices will come back to haunt him. As he faced a house divided, he was allowing his decision making to be divided by his desire to please the people.

It was time for David to wake up and put on a smile. His people needed to see him rejoicing over their great victory. But it was going to take an in-your-face encounter by a loving friend to help David do what needed to be done.

The coup came to an abrupt end, and David was restored to his throne as the king of Israel. When the good news had finally made its way to David, rather than rejoicing over his good fortune, he went into mourning over the death of his son.

The fact that David's son had been around to lead a coup against him was David’s fault. He had brought it on himself. But God, ever faithful, had stepped in and cleaned up David’s mess, restoring him to the throne, but not without the great loss of life.

In the midst of the storm and the heat of the battle, it can feel as if God is absent. But when given the opportunity to look back, we can see His unmistakable fingerprints on all that has happened. The question isn’t whether God is at work, but only how.