The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Thursday
June 5, 2008
David walked up the road that led to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went.
His head was covered and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning. And the
people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the
mountain. When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing
Absalom, David prayed, "O LORD, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish
advice!"
2 Samuel 15:30-31
The last verse in yesterday's scripture left us to believe that all was right between David and his son Absalom because David kissed him. Well, I think David thought everything was okay, but from then on Absalom set out to turn people in David's kingdom against him.
Absalom stationed himself outside the city gates and when people came for advice Absalom warned them that David was much too busy, but that he could help them. Four years later, Absalom asked the king for a special favor, which David granted, and Absalom began the real conspiracy. David's advisors warned him of what was being planned and, David and all who wanted to go with him, left Jerusalem.
Do you find it hard to comprehend that all of this came about simply because David did not respond "on time" to what happened to Tamar? In a sense that is true, but I think the main problem with Absalom was that he didn't really know His Heavenly Father, therefore, he could not trust that His earthly father had a plan.
That is how it is with us as well. As our abuse surrounded us and began to shake the foundations of our belief, we were unable to trust our Heavenly Father and began trusting our own instincts. Maybe your instincts led you to form your own conspiracy against your abuser or even your parents, and you ended up as the one who suffered the most. Such is the case when we try to take matters into our own hands.
As we see, David is in heavy mourning, walking the path that one day Jesus would walk with almost the same heavy load. The very ones Jesus loved were turning against Him. Like David, plans were made to devise His downfall. But Jesus won! We are on the winning team when we submit all our pain to His purpose and plan for our lives.
David knew his Father. He knew that he could turn to Him and trust Him to give Absalom's advisors bad advice. When we ask God to work His way and not our way ¾ justice prevails.
Heavenly Father, I don't know the best thing to do in most situations. So, Lord, I will simply lift my requests up to you and submit them to your design and determination. Your plans are perfect and I want to be a part of that plan. I give you my pain, I give you my plans, and I trust you to show me your purpose for all of this in my life. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in my life this day.
