ICS Daily Devotions
Sit Back and Do Nothing
2 Samuel 15:13-14 (NKJV) “Now a messenger came to David, saying, ‘The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.” So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, ‘Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.’”
Trailblazers act and speak differently from the world, they do not bicker like the rest of the people. Believing that God will open up a pathway in the wilderness and a stream in the desert, they are able to focus and work on what God has called them to do, even when they are venturing into uncharted waters. And as they walk in obedience in response to God’s leadership and direction, they will experience His faithfulness.
King David was a man after God’s own heart, who did what was just and right for all his people (1 Chronicles 18:14), he also carried out many exploits for the Lord. Sadly, he experienced the rebellion of his son Absalom during his reign. Absalom undermined his father’s position by swaying the hearts of the people towards himself. By insinuating that the king had no time to listen to their struggles, he caused the people to be discontented with King David. Even Ahithophel, King David’s counsellor, deserted him to serve Absalom, whose men pursued King David and his entourage with the sword. There can be no greater pain and grief to a father’s heart, than to have his own flesh and blood commit treason against him. Yet because King David loved his son, he chose not to fret over Absalom’s betrayal and focused instead on getting his people to safety as Absalom and his forces swept towards him.
Unfortunately, betrayals still happen today, and it can happen to any one of us. People may wish to undermine our position in the workplace, sometimes it may even come from one who is closest to us. Others might gossip about us, stab us in the back and play politics to have us removed from certain positions. Nevertheless, do not fret over such underhanded actions. Let them be, allow the process to play itself out, and don’t lose your peace and joy. Trust the Lord to direct your steps.
2 Samuel 18:9 (NKJV) “Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.”
According to the account in 2 Samuel 18:9-15, Absalom didn’t die in open battle, but was trapped in a freak incident when his head was caught in the branches of a tree under which he rode past. He was left hanging in the tree while the mule he was riding kept on going. Eventually, he was stabbed to death in cold blood by Joab, the commander of David’s armies, in clear contravention to David’s instructions to deal gently with his son. It was a tragic end to his life. David’s experience teaches us not to take vengeance into our own hands, but to allow time and circumstances to deal with those who perpetrate evil against us.
Sermon Series: Trailblazer
